Extension of TETRA standard promises ten times faster data for Nokia TETRA networks

 

Austria, Vienna - At the annual TETRA World Congress held in Vienna, Austria, Nokia unveiled its high-speed data vision for TETRA. Nokia's choice is to integrate high-speed data capability seamlessly into the Nokia TETRA System. In the future, Nokia TETRA System is planned to offer high-speed data services in addition to currently available TETRA services.

 

Nokia is focused on taking an integrated approach, which means that bringing high-speed capability into an existing Nokia TETRA network would not require an overlay network or additional network elements. This will secure the customers' capital investments. In addition, because the integrated approach results in single user and service provisioning, billing and management for all TETRA services, including high-speed data, it will also optimise operational expenditure, which can form as much as 80% of the total cost of ownership of a network.

 

What's more, the goal is to develop TETRA high-speed data as a software feature, upgradeable over a remote connection to the Nokia TB3 TETRA base station. This means that planning the TETRA network for a subsequent high-speed data upgrade today can achieve enormous savings later.

 

"These strategic goals are an answer to future needs. We predict not only that high-speed data will bring more value to customers, but that high-speed data will in fact become essential," says Matti Peltola, Vice President, Professional Mobile Radio, Nokia. "Taking advantage of developments in mobile data services will provide TETRA users with a growth path and leading-edge technical solutions. And Nokia TETRA customer will be best positioned to fully exploit these developments".

 

"Nokia has again applied its innovation and systems expertise to addressing the challenges in professional mobile radio," he adds.

 

Nokia TETRA System is a complete solution, which provides a full range of voice and data services as well as first-class security to the users. Nokia has a proven track record in delivering multi-exchange TETRA networks capable of providing all TETRA services seamlessly and uniformly countrywide. The open interfaces of Nokia TETRA solutions enable true integration to command and control systems. Nokia continues investing in TETRA radio technology and systems for the benefit of present and future customers.

www.nokia.com/tetra

 

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.

www.nokia.com

 

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Notes to Editors:

TETRA technology is a world standard published by ETSI for digital mobile trunking networks. TETRA networks offer secure, digital mobile communication for professional organizations such as oil and gas companies, utilities, transportation and public safety and security sector (police, emergency, civil defence, security services, etc.).  Data communication improves field operations by allowing users to access databases via their radios.

Most European countries have already chosen the open TETRA standard as the basis for their public authority radio networks, as have a number of countries elsewhere in the world.

TETRA technology minimizes the capital investments and the operational expenses of organizations because it allows simultaneous and independent use of a single existing network by many services, administrations and ministries. TETRA enhances the safety of classified information by using encryption of the connection. It also increases the effectiveness and the coordination of different services and ministries in crises and natural disaster situations through connecting independent Virtual Private Networks into one communication environment.

 

Already today, TETRA provides voice and data services efficiently because it has data capabilities integrated into its infrastructure and is supported by standard TETRA terminals. This is an economical alternative to providing dedicated radio resources for data.

 

TETRA Packet Data. TETRA provides IP packet data in a similar way to GPRS in GSM. Most transactional services work well using TETRA IP packet data with a one-slot gross bit rate of 7.2 kbit/s. This gives a net bit rate of 2.5-3.5 kbit/s for applications. That is sufficient for WAP and email, while images, fingerprints and slow-speed video can be supported using compression.

 

TETRA Multi-slot Packet Data. TETRA multi-slot packet data can yield a bit rate of around 9 kbit/s for applications. This can provide an enhanced service for images, mobile email and low-speed video, although it can't match the GPRS service in GSM networks.

 

What about using a commercial GPRS service? The obvious alternative to TETRA high-speed data would be to use the GPRS service from a GSM operator and GPRS-capable GSM terminals. However, the key issue is availability. Only a dedicated data service can ensure the availability of critical data at all times. Commercial networks could be overloaded by the public, or damaged in times of crisis, which is just when the public safety services need all their resources.

 

TETRA Enhanced Data Service (TEDS). ETSI is currently defining TETRA Enhanced Data Service (TEDS), a new air interface standard to increase TETRA data speeds up to 30-150 kbit/s. This promises data services 10 times faster than today's single or multi-slot packet data.