Grintek Telecom, Marconi team up to offer new crime-busting technology in Port Elizabeth

South African information and communications technology (ICT) provider Grintek Telecom has entered into a strategic teaming agreement with counterpart Marconi Communications South Africa, to offer a trial system using the new TETRA (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio) digital radio network technology to the South African Police Services (SAPS) in Port Elizabeth.

TETRA combines the features of digital cellular, mobile radio, wireless data and paging with national coverage, high voice quality, fast call set-up and support for private workgroups of users.

"It delivers secure, high-quality communications whatever the signal conditions and despite noisy environments, with easy-to-use, two-way conversation - including full telephone network interconnection. Internet access and even video image transmission have been demonstrated successfully," says Johan Herselman, senior manager: Professional Mobile Radio projects and accounts at Grintek Telecom.

The new TETRA digital radio network will be evaluated by the SAPS for a period of one year. Other emergency services and metropolitan authorities, from around SA and neighbouring countries, will be able to observe this trial PE-based network in action.

"This revolutionary new technology has had tremendous success in assisting police and other emergency services and governmental agencies internationally in the fight against crime - and we are sure that this will prove to be the case locally, " says Herselman, who has been involved in this joint trial project with Marconi from its inception.

"Marconi, a global provider of high-performance communications solutions primarily for telecommunications service providers, is a supplier of TETRA networks, implementing TETRA-based communications systems for a variety of different applications throughout the world," says Roelf Kloppers, regional sales director for Marconi in southern Africa, who has worked closely with the South African Police Services and Grintek Telecom to implement the local TETRA trial offering.

TETRA is a TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)-based standard developed by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) for a new generation of digital trunked radio networks.

"As such, it is ideal for any group of users needing high-performance wireless communications, including the emergency services, public utilities, public services and utility and engineering-based companies," comments Herselman.

"Marconi has successfully demonstrated end-to-end communications encryption for TETRA systems - the first time this level of encryption has been available over TETRA. Marconi also offers Air Interface Encryption, which ensures complete security for demanding police and military users. In addition, TETRA will allow different public safety organisations to share the same network for joint operations and shared capital expenditure, while maintaining organisational privacy and security when required, " explains Kloppers from Marconi.

Kloppers sums up by stating: "The advanced network features such as encryption and mobile data will allow the SAPS to conduct operations with complete communications security, and to coordinate the deployment of resources by means of integrated fleet management. Furthermore, this technology has facilitated huge operational expenditure savings in overseas police forces, and has vastly improved the effectiveness of crime-fighting operations."

Mobile data brings office resources into the police vehicle, allowing fast and effective operations: licence barcodes, ID barcodes, firearm licence numbers - to mention a few - can all be queried directly from a police vehicle. Live video images can also be transmitted from vehicles over the TETRA network. "So criminals beware!" concludes Grintek's Herselman.