Powertrunk to upgrade TETRA network for Diverse Power
Diverse Power Inc., an electric utility company based in La Grange, Georgia, has reached an agreement with PowerTrunk, Inc. (part of the Sepura Group) to upgrade and expand its digital TETRA two-way radio communications network.
The project will consist of the integration of the PowerTrunk-T TETRA network infrastructure with the existing TETRA network owned by Diverse Power. Several additional site base stations will be added to the TETRA network in order to provide increased radio coverage over a wider area. Diverse Power furthermore has chosen to implement Sepura technology STP9000 TETRA portable radios and SRG3900 mobile gateways as the end-user equipment.
TETRA is the leading open standard digital radio communications technology in use around the world today, available in over 125 countries. PowerTrunk was the first company to introduce and implement TETRA-based radio networks in North America, delivering the first such system in Canada in 2012, and then the first in the US in 2013.
Diverse Power is a member-owned electric cooperative that provides electric utility services to several counties in western Georgia. Diverse Power was an early adopter of TETRA technology in the US, having purchased a network in 2013 as well, albeit from a different manufacturer, for managing their workers' day to day operations. In particular, Diverse Power sought a system that would provide clear and effective communication, enable asset tracking, and allow for employee geo-location and emergency management. The expanded Diverse Power TETRA network will provide coverage for approximately 60% the State of Georgia and be monitored and maintained with their partner, Dean’s Commercial Two-Way.
"Diverse Power quickly recognized the advantages of TETRA over other land mobile radio technologies available in the market, and shortly thereafter confirmed their intentions to upgrade and expand the network", said Jim Mattox, PowerTrunk Vice President of Strategic Development for Utilities Market. "And since TETRA is an open standard, they weren't locked in to a single manufacturer, so the PowerTrunk solution fits in with their current network architecture almost seamlessly. In fact, part of the project includes over-the-air gateways between the existing equipment and the PowerTrunk system to assure that migration is graceful and transparent to the users meanwhile the network is reconfigured as part of the expansion."
This means that workers in the field can continue to use any present TETRA radio equipment they have, and with the same TETRA voice and data features that they are used to. On the infrastructure side, the PowerTrunk-T system brings more capacity and functionality to the Diverse Power network, including the possibility of data applications such as GPS tracking, SCADA applications, and even e-mail implementation for TETRA radio users.
Harris County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Georgia are also users of the Diverse Power TETRA network, taking advantage of the capacity and coverage of the system, and likewise stand to benefit from the network upgrade and delivery of STP9000 portable and SRG3900 mobile gateway radios.
According to Jose Martin, CEO of PowerTrunk, "We are extremely pleased that Diverse Power has decided to turn to us to provide them their TETRA network upgrade. This is a further boost to PowerTrunk's reputation as the leading TETRA supplier in North America, recently strengthened through our integration into the Sepura Group, and we think it says a lot about being a company that customers can come to for solutions to their needs."
