CommScope

About us

One of the world’s premier network infrastructure providers, CommScope enables communication through a constant focus on innovation, agility and integrity. We drive innovation in networks and technologies with high-performance, high-quality products. We help our customers solve their business challenges by adapting to change quickly, and we operate with integrity to deliver strategic growth opportunities — especially when it comes to public safety.

CommScope, through its Andrew® portfolio of wireless solutions, has nearly 30 years of experience in providing, installing and managing complex radio signal distribution systems for wireless network operators and facility owners/management.

Today, we offer a comprehensive TETRA solution which includes ION™ distributed antennas systems (DAS), Node A and miniRepeaters, Radiax® and HELIAX® FiberFeed™ cabling. These and other solutions are featured in high-profile projects like the Moscow and Hong Kong metros, Dubai airport, the Dallas Cowboys’ Reliant Stadium and the world’s longest underground railway, the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Visit www.commscope.com to learn more.

The emergence of TETRA

Before the birth of TETRA, public safety, transport and security organisations relied on regional analogue radio networks. However, the system was limited by a number of serious defects, primarily due to the fragmented nature of the network spectrum, meaning that users experienced patchy coverage and problems with signal interface and security. Criminals could hack into emergency service radio communications, allowing them to uncover contingency plans and crime response procedures.

Professional radio users required a new form of network, that could support dedicated one-to-one and one-to-many radio communications, carrying voice and data over a real-time secure and robust connection. TETRA was developed to meet these needs and has since become the de facto technology deployed in public safety networks in over 100 countries.

Growing demand for coverage

Although there is huge variation from country to country, CommScope has recently seen a significant surge in interest for in-building TETRA network deployments, where recent terrorist attacks have raised the profile of the need for comprehensive emergency radio coverage in confined spaces.

Indoor public venues, such as airports, train stations and metro systems, all require robust TETRA coverage to ensure that a rapid response can be organised in the event of any emergency to ensure public safety. Many government bodies are now beginning to recognise this and facilitate new deployments as well as upgrades to existing TETRA networks.

With security rising higher on every local and national governmental agenda, it is now the time for suppliers to stand up and educate the relevant authorities and organisations as to how they can best deploy TETRA or improve existing networks to cope with new challenges.

The cost of public safety

One of the biggest obstacles to blanket TETRA network deployment is changing the mindset of individual organisations to recognise the growing need for investing the necessary funds to facilitate comprehensive coverage indoors or out.

While the very nature of TETRA means that organisations deploying TETRA networks cannot afford to compromise on quality of service, the economic downturn has meant that budget holders are demanding more from their suppliers than ever. Suppliers must recognise the need to help their customers to work in the most cost-efficient manner possible. Now more than ever TETRA network deployments and upgrades need to consider both cost and network efficiency.

This doesn’t necessarily imply that capital expenditure investments should be reduced, but rather that the onus now falls on the supplier to help buyers future-proof their TETRA networks adequately to ensure an appropriate long term return on investment.

If the cost of deployment does need to be reduced, this can also be achieved without compromising network quality. For example, organisations can lower deployment costs and implementation times by partially re-using the same infrastructure to support both TETRA and commercial services (e.g. routing both over the same fibre optic network links).

CommScope’s approach

Unlike public cellular networks, building a TETRA network is typically driven by improving coverage, rather than capacity.

With CommScope's digital Node A RF repeaters, buildings and tunnels can be covered fast and easily with TETRA signals. A directive donor antenna usually picks-up the base station signal. The Node A digitally filters and amplifies the TETRA signal up to the desired output power. The Node A usually drives a passive distribution system with radiating cable or antennas, but can also be used as a pick-up repeater for active distribution systems.

In smaller environments, TETRA miniRepeaters extend coverage in small indoor areas of up to 2300 square meters, such as offices, shops and basements. Typically, an antenna which has been installed outside the building receives the signal from the TETRA Base Station (TBS). The repeater boosts the signal and the indoor antenna or small distributed antenna system, consisting of several splitters and antennas, serves the TETRA signal to the desired "dark spots".

Given the mission critical nature of TETRA systems, redundancy should also be built into the network. To this end, CommScope deploys a unique network topology, with two independent, interleaved networks that can each carry the traffic load in the event of a network failure. Equipment is also deployed with redundant back-ups to ensure robust flexibility even if, for example, an optic fibre cable is severed, or a unit power supply fails.

What next for TETRA?

TETRA has already evolved from what was primarily a high-quality voice platform to a fully-fledged integrated voice and data communications network. With advances in both network infrastructure and device manufacturing, there is huge potential to exploit the ongoing use of TETRA to the best advantage of the emergency services.

The next generation of TETRA is already coming to market with the development of TETRA Enhanced Data Services (TEDS), which is designed to meet the need for faster data speeds. It is likely that data rates will accelerate in the future which, combined with the development of ever more powerful TETRA radio devices, promises to support a whole new range of applications. Video, for example, could become an increasingly important tool in fighting crime for police forces around the world, although the higher bandwidth needed will demand even better network coverage and capacity from TETRA in the future.

Learn more

If you would like any further information about the solutions discussed above, we would love to hear from you. Send your queries to WirelessMktg.EMEA@commscope.com.