The right time to invest in TETRA!
Today, still some countries are using analogue rado technology for Public Safety communications. Now, as implementation times have gone down, knowlegde level has gone up and prices of infrastructure and radios have become affordable, it is time to invest
In the past - in a few European countries and even today - public safety services such as police, fire and ambulance use analogue radio systems. The sound quality and the protection of privacy in the case of analog systems is below the acceptance level as users may loose contact with colleagues or loose contact with other organizations, especially in the case of large emergencies where fire police and ambulance work side by side.
Today's world enforces the need for closer co-operation between different departments. One common, nationwide digital TETRA radio communication system facilitates communication and collaboration between a number of public safety organizations. It also provides significant benefits in the wider field of security and could lead to a reduction in operating costs.
In the past
In the early 90’s TETRA was the result of the work of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The purpose of the TETRA technology development was the replacement of various communications systems used by the different services and the creation of a harmonized, pan-European technology, which in the future would allow cross-border inter-connectivity.Similarly, the rapid spread of the GSM network, which in the late 90’s changed the way we communicate with ordinary people, digital technology has enabled the construction of nationwide TETRA radio network that are equipped with specialized features for public safety. The real revolution became a possibility for communication all over the country, along with excellent sound quality and reliable protection in the form of digital encryption. The cooperation of various public safety agencies came to a whole new level.
TETRA now
Today, most European countries can enjoy the benefits of having your own national digital communications network dedicated to public safety. At the same time implentation of a TETRA network in some countries are in the process of implementation. ?The nationwide network of Virve in Finland was one of the first TETRA networs used for the purposes of public safety. Implementation of Virve began in 1998, and since then, when in 2003 it took over the whole country coverage, the network serves many organizations and more than 30.000 users. ?In Germany, currently the implementation of the TETRA BDBOS nationwide network is alsmost done. After its completion, it will most likely be the largest TETRA network in the world.So, what about Polish? Several previous attempts to introduce a TETRA system on a larger scale ended, unfortunately, unsuccessful. Achieving consensus on the business model and financing, and get the funds needed for such a major investment turned out to be a challenge. After the Polish accession to the European Union for the introduction of a uniform, national system of digital communications, according to the requirements of the Schengen Agreement *, is becoming more pronounced and become an additional stimulus for the initiative built a TETRA network in Poland.
?* Recommendation of the Schengen states that "Schengen countries should implement for digital public safety radio networks on a nationwide, operating in the frequency range 380-400 MHz and using technologies TETRA or TETRAPOL".
One of the main objectives of the TETRA standard was to create a single pan-European communications network for all services, and as a result the inter-connectivity and collaboration. The importance of this task increases with the disappearance of borders, as Europe becomes more and more exposed to the spreading international crime and political crises in neighboring regions are the cause of successive waves of refugees.
Allowing the combination of different TETRA networks facilitates cross border communications. The combination of using a standard interface ISI (Inter-System Interface) already tested together Germany and Sweden. According to various newspaper articles Swedish and Norwegian authorities have agreed to implement ISI in 2015. Probably the ISI will be one of the next major trends TETRA in Europe. This would make sense.
The right choice of a network saves time and costs
Any organization considering investments in a TETRA communications network should therefore analyze TCO (Total Cost of Ownnership - investment costs, implementation costs and operating costs) generated by the network, in order to effectively compare different TETRA solutions available on the market today. After you make the right decision, it is important that the network becomes operational as soon as possible. Migration from legacy systems to the new should be as short as possible. The use of both systems at the same time prevents full use of the advantages of the new system. ?Building a network does not have to take years. For example, nationwide government network in Hungary was implemented in one year. Currently, the network supports approximately 42.000 users.
So for those countries that are still struggeling on how to finance and to implement a nationwide or regional (TETRA) Public Safety network, there is still some work to be done. However, experience from the past says that:
? Knowledge on the TETRA technology has improved significantly
? Manufactureres have improved the efficiency of TETRA systems significantly
? TETRA has become fully IP and therefore easier to implement
? Implementation times have gone down
? Prices of infrastructure and radio’s have gone down
In other words; it’s is now time to invest in TETRA!
Source: MCCResources
