TETRA on the rise

TETRA has now been deployed in 130 countries, through 2500 contracts and with more than three million radios in active use. In late 2012, TETRA commenced in North America following acceptance by the FCC and Canadian telecom regulators. Finally, after more than a decade, customers in the world's largest LMR market can access TETRA solutions. Systems have already been implemented by the utilities, public transport and airport sectors, and it will support the Superbowl in 2014.

In Australia, spectrum reforms and ageing analog systems continue to stimulate the migration to TETRA, particularly within the industrial/resources sector. During 2013 more than 17,000 handhelds and mobiles were sold, including over 5000 IECeX intrinsically safe TETRA radios. A number of vendors were involved, including Motorola, DAMM, Sepura, Cassidian, SELEX, Simoco, Rohill, Teltronic, Funkwerk and Hytera, supported by local dealers, systems integrators and value-add suppliers.

Projects included: the massive Gorgon LNG project; the Roy Hill project, incorporating a 350-kilometre rail system; the Wheatstone Chevron LNG project; the Fortescue mine upgrades with a 300-kilometre rail system; and the Queensland Gas (LNG) pipeline project. Other markets included port and airport operations as well as public transport: for example, the Queensland Light Rail project; Brisbane City Council; and bus services that use the Motorola ZEON system.

Communications systems at mines and oil and gas facilities are mission critical, and the IP-based TETRA architecture has become the preferred DLMR technology for voice and data in these sectors. Over 80% of the TETRA market in Australia is in the resources and associated sectors, primarily in rural Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory, where spectrum has been more readily available. Users include Shell, Exxon Mobil, Santos, Chevron, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Xstrata, Fortescue, British Gas and Queensland Gas. These companies demand 100% availability to support operations, ensure staff safety and protect the critical infrastructure that drives major export revenue.

The selection of TETRA revolves around key criteria: maturity and innovation; voice, data and security functionality; spectrum efficiency and traffic capacity; interoperability between vendors; and whole-of-life cost. TETRA offers users multiple operational and value-added benefits: multi-vendor procurement; security; health and safety advantages; simplified integration with other systems; high redundancy; and an IP-base.

With TETRA, operators can have an integrated voice network and get the most efficient digital LMR data network capable of supporting user location, SCADA and telemetry and messaging and information transfer… all from the one investment.

A reflection of the increasing appreciation of the rise of TETRA in the local market was the high level of attendance at the TETRA workshops at the recent 2013 Comms Connect conference in Melbourne. Phil Kidner, CEO of the TETRA & Critical Communications Association, joined other international and local attendees to reflect on another year of significant migration to TETRA technology - a year that has seen growth in new contract awards across Australia contributing to the Asia-Pacific region becoming the world's fastest-growing region for TETRA.

Contributed by the directors of the Australasian TETRA Forum Ltd (tetraforum.com.au) which comprises more than 20 major vendors, integrators, consultants and distributors, and is part of the international TETRA & Critical Communications Association.