Northampton, MA Citywide 700 MHz Radio System

Northampton needed one dependable radio network that every department could share. Fire still ran on VHF, and other departments used separate equipment.

The city also needed someone to own the project from start to finish. That meant writing the requirements, running a compliant purchase, holding the vendor to the specification, and then keeping the system healthy after the warranty ended.

Procurement

LB Comms acted as the City's independent radio technical consultant, separate from any equipment vendor. We defined the system the City needed, built the procurement around Massachusetts purchasing law (M.G.L. Chapter 30B and statewide contracts), and supported the City through vendor selection and award.

The result was a Motorola Solutions ASTRO 25 system. It is supported locally by Pittsfield Communications, an authorized Motorola partner, with Aviat microwave linking the sites.

Implementation

LB Comms represented the city on site through every phase of the build. We coordinated Motorola, Pittsfield Communications and City departments, and we were on site for each cutover.

• Sites and shelters. We oversaw three simulcast sites, two new equipment shelters, and their UPS systems, which were commissioned in fall 2023.
• Backhaul. We oversaw the microwave and IP backhaul linking the sites to dispatch at Police Headquarters.
• Fire Department cutover. We tested every portable before rollover, then moved Northampton Fire to the new system on September 23–24, 2025, working from a written task list.
• Mutual aid. We drafted the notice the city sent to neighboring towns and mutual aid districts before the change.
• Integrations. We brought fire station alerting, Northampton Public Schools radios, and a cross-band link for the regional vocational school into the trunked system.

Acceptance

LB Comms held the vendor to the contract until every open item was closed. We tracked the punch list through the final backhaul work in November 2025 and advised the city before it signed Motorola's completion milestone.

Coverage inside buildings was part of acceptance too. We wrote the City's guidance on emergency responder radio coverage (ERRCS) for developers and fire prevention staff. We also took part in in-building system testing at the regional hospital and on the Smith College campus.

Managed administrative services

After acceptance, Northampton kept LB Comms on a three-year radio engineering services contract that runs through November 2028. We act as the City's system manager: one point of contact for every department, vendor and contract that touches the radio system.