As part of a Government initiative, the Queenstown Lakes District Council will be responsible for nearly all upgrade costs from analogue to digital radio systems within the Rural Fire Authority.
The QLDC has about 14 land mobile radio units, plus other radio network equipment for emergency situations, which will be upgraded to the new digital format.
The council is the rural fire authority for the parts of the Queenstown Lakes district not covered by the Department of Conservation or the urban fire boundaries.
QLDC principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said he could not reveal the exact cost of the upgrade.
''I could have a guess, but it would make front-page news so I won't.''
In a tabled report to the council, Mr Bailey said: ''There will be significant cost in this; the exact amount is unknown at this time ... As costs become clearer, more information will be provided.''
The National Rural Fire Authority (NRFA) and the New Zealand Fire Service have confirmed all vehicle radios will be funded by rural fire authorities, which in Queenstown means the council.
Rural fire appliances not in New Zealand fire stations will be funded by national and rural fire authorities, with the possibility of NRFA funding.
Mr Bailey said the whole-of-Government initiative was being led by New Zealand Police to ''replace a very old and anticipated obsolete current system''.
''The new digital system will increase interoperability between many agencies, as it is anticipated that most public protection and disaster relief agencies will become part of this whole-of-Government initiative,'' he said.
The initial network funding to supply a digital radio network for Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury is about $48 million.
The first digital radio trials will be held in Arapawa, Wellington, and are scheduled for late January.
Rollout in Queenstown is expected in 2013 and 2014.
