TETRA market positioning

3rd TETRA Middle East Conference

Amman September 2005

Risto Toikkanen

Vice chairman / TETRA MoU Association

29.08.2005

A. PMR or Cellular technology?

Cellular subscribers count in billions. Why not to use their cool handsets?

Mobile markets overviewMobile markets:A Cellular telephony B Professional Mobile RadioC Dedicated mobile data networks D Broadband WiFi/WLAN etc non-licensed

Mobile mass market trends• cellular mass market enjoys huge growth• Cellphone replacing fixed phone line• convergence of voice & data: GPRS, 3G• convergence of telecomms & media/entertainment• VoIP/Push-to-Talk applications• dedicated mobile data networks disappear

Mission critical needsGuaranteed service - under normal conditions - during incidents - planned capacity for emergency handling - semi-duplex (only one channel per group per site)

Fast group communications - x00 ms set-up time - good dispatching - dynamic group management

Specific functionality - emergency calls (pre-emptive)

- security- monitoring, status messages

Cellular system cannot meet these requirements

- Neither can Push-To-Talk over cellular (CDMA/GPRS)

Cellular system cannot meet these requirements

- Neither can Push-To-Talk over cellular (CDMA/GPRS)

Professional users need own PMRThey must have the best service during emergenciesThey need faster call set-up than cellular or PTT over

cellular can offerCellular PTT systems need too many channels for big

talkgroups – PMR uses semi-duplexTheir dispatchers need powerful functionality

B. Okay, we need PMR. What technology?

A look at market dynamics and technical offering of two PMR technologies

Market trends in radioShared multi-agency networksIncreased security requirements Increased use of mobile data• from voice to combined voice & dataIncreased telephony connectivityData and text messagingSeamless nationwide service coverageNeed for international cooperationNeed for better radio spectrum efficiency

Overview of 2 digital PMR standards

TETRA – defined by the European Telecommunications Standards InstituteProject 25 – defined as joint project of U.S. user (APCO, NASTD), government

and industry (TIA) organisations

Standardisation / market approach

Project 25• Strict Public Safety

focus• Focus on economic

rural coverage and working in limited spectrum

• Voice centric services, data often in separate network

• U.S. centric standard• Spectrum split and

fragmented: VHF, UHF, 800 …

TETRA• Designed to meet the needs

of various user groups – Shared multi-agency PSS– Smaller private networks

• Designed to support higher capacities

• Combining voice + data in same network from the beginning

• International standard from the beginning

• Harmonised radio spectrum for European emergency services

Market differences

Project 25• Single supplier

dominance• Interoperability still under

planning• Leader in U.S. PSS market• Individual contracts in

Asia-pacific & Latin America

• Handset prices even at 4000 – 5000 USD level !

TETRA• Strong multi-vendor focus• Working interoperability

certification• True multi-vendor experience• Continent wide leader in

Europe and Asia• Latin American contracts• Much lower equipment prices

due to working competition

Maturity of standards

Project 25Many different paths tried• Conventional 12.5 kHz FDMA• Trunked 12.5 kHz FDMA –

trunking protocol came later than products

• 6.25 kHz FDMA – never implemented in products

• TETRA-like 25 kHz TDMA -failed

• Now trying 12.5 kHz TDMA – very slowly

TETRATrunked 4-slot TDMA from the

beginningIn TETRA standards many

things were completed years ahead of Project 25:

• Intersystem Interface, roaming support

• Authentication, air interface encryption

• full duplex, handovers• supplementary services to

one-to-one calls

Technical 1: FDMA - TDMAProject 25 - FDMA• Traditionally assumes

wider coverage and lower capacity

• Benefits from high power mobile radios ( 10 to 30 W)

• Expensive when number of channels becomes high

• Trend towards higher user densities poses challenge

• Trend towards handsets dilutes the coverage benefit

TETRA - TDMA• Traditionally assumes

smaller cells and higher capacity

• Can handle high capacity at lower cost

• Spectrum efficient• Easy full duplex,

simultaneous voice + data• In handset use on par in

terms of coverage (uplink!)• Improvements in TDMA BS

receiver technology and multi-receiver diversity promise equal cell range

Technical 2: FunctionalityProject 25• Still only half duplex• No handover signalling• Supplementary services now

under debate• DTMF now debated• Very little IP data seen in

neworks still today• Text messaging still now

debated• The new debated features

may come only to the yet noexistent TDMA standard, if even in that ...

TETRA• Also full duplex from the

beginning• Handovers during call • Supplementary services

related to one-to-one calls• DTMF signalling long ago• IP packet data in use long

ago• Text messaging from the

beginning• Much faster feature roll-out

(due to competition?)

Technical 3: Networks

Project 25• Idea of international co-

operation not visible in standards

• Inter-Subsystem Interface standardisation still ongoing

• Strong pressure from users asking for “interoperability” – in long term this may improve the standards

TETRA• Designed for cross-border

operation, ISI standard• Designed for international

traffic, numbering, country codes

• Implemented efficient VPN support for multi-agency sharing

• TETRA network can be nationwide homogenous seamless entity - today

Radio terminalsProject 25• High output

powers available, tens of watts

• Quite many manufacturers showing handsets in exhibitions

• But still the U.S. price of encrypting handset is 4000 to 5000 USD

TETRA• Have supported full duplex for

years• Smaller size & weight • Innovations like integral GPS,

65 000 color display emerged• WAP and web browsers built in• Handsets are preferred• And the handset sells at 500 to

1000 USD• Competition is driving

innovation and cost efficiency

Speed of innovationWho else can do this – TETRA already does:• Which other PMR technology delivers

handsets with integral GPS receiver today?• Which other PMR technology delivers

handsets with 65 000 colour display today?• Which other PMR technology delivers

handsets with web & WAP browsers today?

Quick questionnaire in TETRA seminar in Oslo March 2005 revealed close to 30 new TETRA terminal models being launched during the last 3 years

Only open competition can boost this amount of handset innovations and R&D investment

Multi-vendor interoperability

TETRA is the first PMR technology that created a truly open multi-vendor market

Benefits of open multi-vendor market

User benefits• wide choice of compatible certified terminals• specialised product for special needs• continuous and genuine competition• less dependency - lower risk of market

disturbances

Industry benefits• wider market, bigger volumes• more possibility to invest – faster product

creation• longer lifetime of market

TETRA MoU Association runs the IOP certification process to guarantee open multi-vendor market

TETRA IOP Certification process

STANDARDS

MoUOperator/User Association

Technical ForumMembers’ Enquiry

TIP SPECS

TMO AI groupDMO AI group

ISI group (PEI group)

approx 12 suppliers

TEST PLANS

MoU

Certification Body ISCTI *) – Rome/Italy

ACCEPTED into OPERATION(Also need CE mark or TA)

CERTIFICATE

*) Instituto Superiore delle Comunicazioni e tecnologie dell'Informazione

TETRA IOP achievementsTested products

from:• Cleartone• DeTeWe/FWK• Frequentis• IFR (tester) • Marconi/OTE• Motorola• Niros• Nokia• Rohde & Schwarz• Rohill• Simoco/Sepura• Teltronic• Thales

Certificates at: www.tetramou.com

Tested products from:

• Cleartone• DeTeWe/FWK• Frequentis• IFR (tester) • Marconi/OTE• Motorola• Niros• Nokia• Rohde & Schwarz• Rohill• Simoco/Sepura• Teltronic• Thales

Certificates at: www.tetramou.com

*) Two new companies have called TETRA IOP test sessions for their infra: Thales and Simoco Digital Systems

TETRA IOP certification results

• 7 companies have received TETRA infrastructure certificates *)

• 9 companies have received TETRA terminal certificates in trunked mode

• 6 companies have received TETRA DMO certificates

Summary, TETRA vs. Project 251. TETRA makes major difference in multi-vendor

support, certified interoperability and open competition

2. In voice group call services both technologies offer about the same level of services

3. In one-to-one calls related services TETRA clearly leads

4. Use of data much better exploited in TETRA networks - IP data is in operational use

5. Clear difference of innovation seen in TETRA handsets

6. The difference in handset prices is dramatical

ConclusionsCellular networks cannot serve the

needs of mission critical radio users – dedicated radio network is needed

TETRA standard provides:- Widest set of functionality- High capacity at low cost- Fast development of innovative product

solutions- True multi-vendor market and genuine

competition

Questions?

www.tetramou.com

risto.toikkanen@eads.com