Teltronic puts into operation the world's first TETRA + LTE convergent radio communication system

Teltronic, a Spanish company backed by more than 45 years of experience offering professional radio communications solutions, has deployed the first narrowband (TETRA) and broadband (LTE) convergent (using a single Network Management System and Control Node for both accesses) radio communication system put into operation in the world. The company completed this milestone in Antarctica, so its equipment had to endure the most extreme weather and environmental conditions.

The deployment was developed within the framework of the GALILEO PRS project of the General Directorate of Armament and Material and the Navy in Antarctica, that the Spanish Ministry of Defense commissioned to the technological multinational GMV in order to perform a demonstrator that validates safe satellite navigation. For this purpose, researchers are testing the concept of PRS signal (Public Regulated Service - robust, encrypted and controlled access service for government applications) of Galileo, the European satellite radio navigation and positioning program developed by the European Union jointly with the European Space Agency.

All the tests of the research project were made last year during the annual expedition that the Spanish Navy’s oceanographic research ship Hespérides carries out every year to the Antarctic continent. In order to carry out this expedition successfully and to develop the project tests, a robust communication system with voice and broadband data transmission capacities was required to allow communications among staff members, but also the massive and real-time data transmission from systems installed on land to the control centre and databases installed on the ship.

The communications solution selected was a hybrid convergent TETRA + LTE system, and Teltronic was responsible for deploying it onboard the Hespérides, which sailed within a radius of 5 km from the work zone (both on land and an auxiliary vessel) where it was placed the PRS satellite signal receiver, together with the associated communications equipment: a TETRA-LTE dual terminal.

Teltronic installed a complete solution based on its eNEBULA communications infrastructure, including the central node that provides intelligence to the network, the base stations that spread coverage to the operation area, and the dual communication terminals.

In this way, the LTE access allows the transmission to the Hesperides of the positioning data that is sent from the Galileo and that is received on the ground by the PRS receiver and, at the same time, the TETRA technology serves to support voice communications in which the research staff and crew members participate.