Visionstream, a leading services provider to the telecommunications industry and a division of Ventia, has been awarded an extension to its contract with the State Government of Victoria for the ongoing management and operation of the Emergency Alerting System (EAS) until 2022. 

Designed to alert and simultaneously mobilise Victorian emergency resources, the EAS is currently used to alert over 45,000 personnel from Ambulance Victoria, State Emergency Services and the Country Fire Authority. 

With more than 1.3 million messages sent to pagers using EAS each year, the system is supported by Visionstream’s dedicated 24/7 Network Operations Centre and helpdesk. 

Visionstream has successfully and safely operated and maintained the EAS for Victoria’s Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) since 2004.

The system includes 225 transceiver sites located across Victoria providing 98.5% coverage by population. As a primary alerting tool for keeping Victorians safe, the system uses a feedback loop from the transceiver sites which sends information to the EAS paging network to ensure staff and volunteers from participating emergency services receive timely alerts. 

“The ESTA contract extension reflects Visionstream’s critical role in emergency management within Victoria. We are pleased to continue this important partnership with the State Government of Victoria to help keep our local communities connected when they need it most,” said Richard Kelleway, Visionstream CEO.