Palmetto 800 Radio System

The South Carolina Statewide 800 MHz Radio and Mobile Data System is a cost-shared public/private partnership between state government, local governments, power utilities and Motorola, Inc. The system is a Motorola SmartZone trunked system with 79 transmitter sites across South Carolina and Georgia.

The goal of the shared system is to reduce costs and improve interoperability for all system users.

In operation since 1992, the original system contract was with SCANA Communications, Inc. In 2001, Motorola purchased the primary ownership and management of the system under a contract with the Division of State Information Technology (DSIT).

• Commonly referred to as the "Palmetto 800," the South Carolina system has continued to grow and today is one of the largest shared statewide public safety radio systems in the nation with over 30,793 voice users and 817 mobile data system users.
• Over 717 different agencies representing state government, federal government, local government, law enforcement agencies, fire services, EMS services and power utilities in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia currently participate in the shared statewide 800 MHz radio system.
• Over 94 percent of South Carolina’s population is serviced by sheriff’s departments with access to the statewide 800 MHz  radio system.
• South Carolina continues to receive top rankings for its interoperability efforts with the statewide shared public safety system.

System Notices/Meetings:

• Next Users Advisory Committee Meeting - Wednesday, March 21, 2012, (9:30 am to 11:30 am) at the DPS Headquarters Building (10311 Wilson Blvd., Blythewood, SC 29016) in room CG-44.
• Spring 2012 User Group Meeting - Wednesday, May 9, 2012, (12 pm) at the Pine Island Club on Lake Murray.
• "NEW" Rebanding Update: South Carolina has completed the rebanding agreement with Sprint/Nextel and the agreement has been approved by the Transition Administrator (TA). We are in the process of setting up regional rebanding kick off meetings to ensure that your agency is fully aware of the process and what information is needed from your agency to be reimbursed. Our plan is to have all of the subscriber radios rebanded by March 31, 2012, and then Palmetto 800 will begin the process of rebanding the infrastructure. A number of documents have also been added to the 800 Rebanding Information Web page for your information. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our office. 
• Palmetto 800 24 hour System Monitoring and Support (800) 353-0101.
• Interconnecting to the Palmetto 800 System - The Palmetto 800 Radio System and its licensees prohibit two-way interconnecting or the connecting of the Palmetto 800 System to other radio systems, telephone systems, cellular systems or any system that brings additional/outside loading to the system without written approval of DSIT and the 800 MHz Advisory Committee. See the interconnect guidelines link on the System Operations page for additional information.