South Africa is fast emerging as a worthy contender among leading IT nations. With our highly competitive intellectual capital and developmental resources, and the value of the rand against world currencies, we have a profound advantage over our overseas competitors.
With major shareholding by Kunene Brothers Holdings, a highly respected black economic empowerment concern, Grintek Telecom has secured strategic partnerships with global market leaders in development and technology, to offer a bundling of services via one effective service platform.
Technical wealth balanced by awareness of real-world implications
Government agencies and large private industries the world over are replacing outdated radio networks with the new digital TETRA technology. Digital TETRA enables mobile data applications to be run across the radio network, bringing added operational advantages for the network users.
TETRA (Terestrial Trunk Radio) is an open digital trunked radio standard, which is defined by the European Telecommunications Standardisation Institute (ETSI) to meet the needs of the most demanding professional mobile radio users.
To maximise the potential of such networks it is essential to utilise not just its excellent secure voice capabilities but also its secure data channels. To do this, a mobile data solution is attached to the network - allowing vehicle-based users access to centralised data and resources.
Made in the world
Grintek has developed such a solution and has successfully integrated it on a TETRA network. The solution incorporates data enquiries, vehicle location and management and the support of a number of peripheral devices. These devices include video cameras, licence plate recognition software and encrypted barcode readers.
The system is fully secured by means of standard or user specified government-approved encryption.
A great deal of emphasis is placed on certain design criteria and flexibility to ensure user acceptance of the solution, such as:
* Ease of use (minimum key presses per action, touch-screen options);
* Ease of comprehension (large fonts, clear images, icons instead of text); and
* Ease of configuration (virtual keypad option for confined spaces).
The control centre components manage the integration of the user's data sources so that all required information can be presented to the vehicle-mounted users.
Control centre user interfaces are integrated to present dispatchers with easy to use command and control capabilities.
Relevant mobile data inputs are recorded to enable total scenario reconstruction playback for debriefings and legal requirements.
A comprehensive range of terminal equipment is available, including all the world leaders in ruggedised vehicle-mounted terminals.
The system has been tested operationally in SA and has met with a great deal of enthusiasm from a number of parties. As a result of demonstrations to organisations, both locally and from overseas, Grintek has a number of opportunities for further sales of the solution.
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