21-09-2008, 11:41 AM
Definition
TErrestrial Trunked RAdio (TETRA) standard was designed to meet some common requirements and objectives of the PMR and PAMR market alike. One of the last strong holds of analog technology in a digital world has been the area of trunked mobile radio. Although digital cellular technology has made great strides with broad support from a relatively large number of manufactures, digital trunked mobile radio systems for the Private Mobile Radio (PMR) and Public Access Mobile Radio (PAMR) market have lagged behind. Few manufacture currently offer digital systems, all of which are based on proprietary technology. However, the transition to digital is gaining momentum with the emergence of an open standard TETRA
TETRA is a Digital PMR Standard developed by ETSI. It is an open standard offers interoperability of equipment and networks from different manufacturers. It is potential replacement for analog and proprietary digital systems. Standard originated in1989 as Mobile Digital Trunked Radio System (MDTRS), later renamed to Trans European Trunked Radio, and is called TETRA since 1997.
TErrestrial Trunked Radio TETRA is the agreed standard for a new generation of digital land mobile radio communications designed to meet the needs of the most demanding Professional Mobile Radio networks (PMR) and Public Access Radio (PAMR) users. TETRA is the only existing digital PMR standard defined by the European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI).
Among the standard's many features are voice and extensive data communications services. Networks based on the TETRA standard will provide cost-effective, spectrum-efficient and secure communications with advance capabilities for the mobile and fixed elements of companies and organizations.
As a standard, TETRA should be regarded as complementary to GSM and DECT. In comparison with GSM as currently implemented, TETRA provides faster call set-up, higher data rates, group calls and direct mode. TETRA manufactures have been developing their products for ten years. The investments have resulted in highly sophisticated products. A number of important orders have already been placed. According to estimates, TETRA-based networks will have 5-10 million users by the year 2010.
