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MNN Nokia
Y2K emergency radio telephone · MNN
RD-72, also known as R-72, was a portable telephone set,
released in 1996 by Nokia in Finland, for use in first generation
analogue mobile telephone networks (1G) and
in PMR trunking radio networks.
The device featured here was used in the Duch Y2K backup
system (MNN) 1 — a shadow network, in case the regular
infrastructure would fail at the turn of the millenium.
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The RD-72 measures 200 x 115 x 82 mm and weights 1.8 kg, including the
1.7 Ah battery pack. It is very similar to the Nokia Talkman
720, which was a popular mobile phone in countries with a 1G analogue
NMT-450 mobile network.
At the time, many experts thought that, at the turn of the century
– from 31 December 1999 to 1 January 2000 – computer systems, telephone
exhanges, access control systems, elevators, etc. might fail due to the
so-called millenium bug, also known as the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem,
as clock chips used only two digits for the year [2].
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Such critical systems had often been developed many years earlier,
going back to the early days of the (personal) computer.
They commonly contained a real-time
clock chip (RTC) that was kept running on an internal battery
when the device was powered down.
As these chips used only two digits to identify the current year,
2000 might be interpreted as 1900, causing the device to fail.
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As it was feared that the Y2K problem could
potentially cause life threatening issues,
the Dutch Government commissioned the largest
telecom operator, former state-owned monopolist KPN, 2
to build a closed mobile emergency telephone network
with national coverage, that did not depend on existing infrastructure.
The network became known as Mobiel National Noodnet (MNN) –
Mobile National Emergency Network –
and had more than 1500 subscribers, including emergency services, police, hospitals, authorities
and critical infrastructure operators.
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Each subscriber had a 7-digit number, and calls could only be made
between subscribers on the same network, although calls to the wired
national emergency network (NN) were also possible.
Furthermore, the duration of a call was limited to 4 minutes.
Approx. 10 seconds before the end, the user heared a warning tone,
indicating that the call was about to be terminated.
Like a regular trunking network, KPN's Y2K emergency network
was semi-duplex (simplex), which means that users had to
press the push-to-talk (PTT) switch
— integrated in the handset — when speaking.
The Dutch Y2K network became
operational on 1 October 1999 and was active for six months.
It was dismantled in April 2000, after which the equipment was recalled by
KPN and disposed of. A small number of nodes was later re-established,
when it dawned that the turn from 31 December 2000 to 1 January 2001 might
also cause problems, but no big calamities were ever reported.
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Dutch: Mobile Nationaal Noodnet (MNN) — Mobile National Emergency Network.
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Previously known as PTT.
In 1989 privatised and renamed KPN.
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Calls could also be made to the wired national emergency network.
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The map below shows the position of the most important MNN
subscribers in the Netherlands, and the penetration in that region,
taken from the initial emergency directory of September 1999 [D].
The larger the dot, the more subscribers. The highest penetration
of MNN subscribers was in the areas around the capital
Amsterdam, and the seat of the Dutch government — The Hague.
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Device Radio telephone (analogue) Purpose Emergency communication at the turn of the millenium Manufacturer Nokia (Finland) Model RD-72 Operator KPN (Netherlands) Standards ETS 300086/113, MPT-1327, MPT-1343 System Trunking network (semi-duplex) Purpose Y2K national emergency network Bands 3 (only one supported, see below) Mode Semi-duplex Output 8 Watt Power 12V DC Temperature -25°C to +55°C (storage +35°C to +65°C) Dimensions 200 x 115 x 82 mm Weight 1.8 kg (including 1.7 Ah battery)
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- 300 - 366 MHz
- 400 - 500 MHz ← used in The Netherlands
- 806 - 869 MHz
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- Nokia R72, Gebruikershandleiding voor het Mobiel Nationaal Noodnet
KPN, September 1999. DIN A6 format (in Dutch language).
- Mobiel Nationaal Noodnet, Quick Reference Card
KPN, September 1999. DIN A5 format (in Dutch language).
- ProRent Calamiteiten, Quick Reference Card
KPN, October 1999. DIN A5 format (in Dutch language).
- Mobiel Nationaal Noodnet, Telefoongids (directory)
KPN, September 1999. DIN A5 booklet (in Dutch language).
- Mobiel Nationaal Noodnet, Aandachtspunten voor het Millenium
Date unknown. DIN A4 leaflet (in Dutch language).
- Nationaal Noodnet & Mobiel Nationaal Noodnet, Telefoongids (directory)
KPN, December 1999. DIN A5 booklet (in Dutch language).
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Thursday 03 December 2020. Last changed: Tuesday, 22 August 2023 - 18:44 CET.
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