PMeV Launches "Tetra Siren Control 2.0" for Nationwide Siren Alerting via the Digital BOS TETRA Network

Since the flood disaster in July 2021, siren alarms have been back on the political agenda in Germany.

The Federal Association of Professioneller Mobilfunk e. V. Network for Secure Communication (PMeV) in Germany, has presented a report, "Tetra Siren Control 2.0" for nationwide siren alerting via the digital BOS radio.

With this current document, the association has updated its handout published at the beginning of 2022 on nationwide siren alerting via digital radio BOS.

The Association's Operations Working Group has now developed the new version "TETRA Siren Control 2.0".

The document can be found here

So what is the task of this new handout?

For the framework conditions defined in the "Usage Concept for Alerting and Teleacting" ([NK_ALR]) of the Federal Agency for Digital Radio of Authorities and Organizations with Security Tasks (BDBOS), the handout is intended to take into account the needs and special features of sirens and siren controls in their role as telecontrol receivers and warning devices for warning the population and alerting emergency services. It is based on the current service concepts of the BDBOS for the BOS digital radio network and the international standards for TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) at the time of publication. In the current version, the handout depicts the transmission in a TETRA network. However, the definitions and application rules should not be limited to TETRA, but should also be applicable to other transmission systems and will be extended as needed in the future. An alarm is triggered by an authorized body and thus transmitted to the end device in the siren. Who is considered to be the authorized triggering body is to be regulated by the federal and state governments on an organization-specific basis. By requesting and evaluating receipts, the triggering body "alarm generator" gains an overview of the successful triggering of the sirens in the event of an emergency. The term "alarm transmitter" is used in the handout for both stationary and radio-connected control centers – or all authorized bodies.

Since the flood disaster in July 2021, siren alarms have been back on the political agenda. Against the background of expert forecasts on the consequences of climate change, the warning of the population with sirens and nationwide siren alarms is more relevant than ever.

In March 2019, the PMeV – Network for Secure Communication had already addressed this issue. At that time, the (AG) Operations of the PMeV founded a sub-working group (UAG) on the topic of "siren alarming".