DUBLIN, Ireland-Trunked radio may be dismissed by some as the poor relation of GSM and an irrelevance in the world of multibillion pound Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) license bids, but it has carved a niche in the communications world, and at least one European operator is confident that it can co-exist with third-generation technology.
Combining a variety of acronyms, such as specialized mobile radio (SMR), private mobile radio (PMR) and public access mobile radio (PAMR), the terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) standard has been described as the service that starts where cellular stops.
Its supporters point to flexibility, durability and reliability as the reasons why its use will continue to grow. The U.K.-based Strategis Group consultancy believes there will be around 10 million total PAMR subscribers in Europe by 2008. Not surprisingly, the Scandinavian countries and the United Kingdom are in the vanguard of deployment.
Finnish operator Sonera and principal contractor Nokia began construction of a national PMR network based on the standard in 1998. This network is due for completion in 2002 and is expected to have up to 50,000 voice and data file transfer users. The Swedish government plans to offer licenses for a series of mobile radio networks throughout the country later this year.
Elsewhere, the Austrian Ministry of the Interior announced last November that it was replacing its existing mobile communications systems with a TETRA network. The PMR project-due for completion in 2004-is being undertaken by Center Nachrichtentechnische Anlagen, an Austrian engineering firm. Motorola is supplying the analog and digital PMR equipment.
The Danish government will open its TETRA licensing process before the end of this year, while in Ireland, the telecommunications regulator issued proposals for the future licensing of TETRA services in February. The Irish police force is already committed to using the system, and Ireland proposes to offer two national public licenses some time next year. Depending on the response to the regulator’s consultation, the development of a licensing framework for private TETRA networks may also be considered.
Most of TETRA activity is taking place in Europe, where the standard was developed, with leading manufacturers Nokia, Marconi and Motorola producing handsets and network infrastructure.
The most extensive strategy has been formulated by Dolphin Telecom, the U.K.-based subsidiary of Canadian operator Telesystem International Wireless (TIW). The world’s first commercial TETRA operator launched services in the United Kingdom last year and has extended its service to France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Spain. A TETRA license was recently secured in Luxembourg.
UMTS and TETRA?
Despite securing a UMTS license in the United Kingdom, TIW says it is committed to Dolphin, which has recorded disappointing customer figures. The company originally projected about 30,000 U.K. customers by the end of last year, although it signed up only 11,700.
Chief Executive Officer Steven Evans blamed problems with terminals and accessories rather than the network for the slow uptake and said the problems were no worse than those faced in the early days of GSM. He added that Dolphin and TIW’s UMTS plans are complementary, and the Canadian parent company has no intention of dispensing with its TETRA strategy.
This plan would appear to be vindicated by the expansion of TETRA into the even less-developed parts of Europe. The Greek government has plans to issue TETRA licenses this year, and two licenses were awarded in the Republic of Slovak in 1998, where Technopol International and Telegrafia will be joined by other operators as the government plans further license awards next year.
