tetra terminals review tetra ireland conference, dublin david taylor, senior consultant mason...

TETRA Terminals Review

TETRA Ireland Conference, Dublin

David Taylor, Senior ConsultantMason Communications

Wednesday 13 April 2005

© Copyright 2005 – Mason Group Ltd

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1. Introduction

2. TETRA Terminal Evolution

3. Some Key Terminal Issues

4. Drivers for New Terminal Development

5. Summary


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1. Introduction




5. Summary


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First Generation TETRA Handportables

• First generation terminals no longer in market

• Limited processing power and memory

• First generation terminals provided simple ‘entry level’ features but:

– Had many supplier specific ‘TETRA’ implementations

– Limited talkgroup numbers

– Limited Static Cipher Key capability

– New features difficult to incorporate (e.g. Transmit Inhibit)

– Little or no possibility for software upgrades

– Poor battery performance

Comparison between analogue and TETRA

1G terminal

(Aachen Pilot)


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Second Generation Handportables• More processing power and memory

– Ability to implement new features by software upgrade

• Extended battery life

• Reduced size + weight

• Capable of:

– WAP browser

– Hardware support for SIM

– Multi-slot data?

• Colour Display

• Voice Feedback

Public Safety Examples

Commercial Examples


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Enhanced Second Generation Handportables

• Even more processing power and memory

– Physically the same as previous equipment, but often new platform under the skin

• Widespread use of better colour screens

• Integrated GPS receiver

• Enhanced MMI, with larger numbers of groups supported, and better group management

• End-to-end encryption supported (may be additional module)

Public Safety Examples


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TETRA Handportable Terminals - size and weight

600g

400g

200g

1st Generation

1997 1998 1999

PAMR

Public Safety

2nd +

20042002

2nd Generation

2001 2003


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TETRA Terminal Interoperability

• Terminal Interoperability is a key requirement for the vast majority of users

• Many TETRA systems currently in operation are supporting terminals from a range of suppliers

• Suppliers involved in an active TIP programme

• At the last TETRA World Congress in Vienna, November 2004, TETRA interoperability was demonstrated with terminals from the following manufacturers:

• Cleartone

• DeTeWe/FWK

• OTE

• Motorola

• Nokia

• Sepura

• Teltronic


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1. Introduction




5. Summary


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Overview

• Still a need for mobile and portable terminals

– Mainly portables for mobile workers

– However cars are still equipped

– Need for motorcycle and other specialist terminals in Public Safety

• Portables could be personal issue, or picked up from station at start of shift

– Public Safety Encrypted radios are secure devices, and need to be treated as such

• Most suppliers are now in enhanced second generation terminals


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Basic Terminal User RequirementsFeature Public Safety Commercial

Size and Weight1

Battery Life1

‘Coverage’

Security

Rugged

DMO

Sim V&D

High Speed Data

Accessories

PEI

1 Handportable RequirementPortable Mobile

Commercial PublicSafety

Market Streams Now FutureNow Future


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Battery Life

• NiCad batteries not used for some years now

• Most portables now use Li Ion batteries

• Improvements are in battery capacity and weight, not in extended battery life

• Most suppliers offer standard and extended life batteries, to achieve the duty cycle

1997 1999 20022001

10

20

30

Typical Battery Life (90/5/5)

G1PublicSafety

G1PAMR

G2PublicSafety

Year

Hours

NiCad

Li Ion

NiMH

Ene

rgy

Den

sity

Battery Technology

x 1.3

x 2

x 1


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Direct Mode

Expectation was for a powerful set of DMO functionality

• Repeaters, gateways, gateway/repeaters, dual watch

Where are we today?

• Basic DMO in use, with gateways used to extend coverage

Still to be addressed

• Security

• Channel surveillance

• SDS-TL

• PEI for DMO

• Dual Watch

• Frequency Efficient Mode

Mostly Software?

• Interoperability was a problem but now a basic TIP

• A few manufacturers of gateways and repeaters


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Simultaneous Voice and Data

Expectation was for simultaneous voice and data calls

• Any combination of single or multiple calls (e.g. voice call and simultaneous data download)

Where are we today?

• Various ‘pseudo-simultaneous’ services

• Voice and SDS/Status

– Number of different signalling channels (FACCH, SACCH etc) depending upon the current state of the call

– Slower than operation on main control channel

• Alternating Packet Data and Voice/SDS

– Service Interaction TIP and Test Plan available

– Allow suspension of one service to get another


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High Speed Data

Where are we today?

• Support for circuit mode is limited (no TIP, fewer & fewer Manufacturers)

• Single slot packet data well established, typically 4.8KBps max with error correction

Expectation was for ‘high speed’ multi-slot data

• Back in 1997, the quoted 28.8KBps, using four concatenated timeslots, was being described as being fast…..

For higher speeds in TETRA1, multi-slot data is needed

• Multi slot will be available in very near future

• Greater processing power will allow portables to do more than on slot

TETRA2, still being developed

• TEDS (TETRA Enhanced Data Service) in standardisation

• Will be available in a few years, but needs increased channel bandwidths for the higher data rates – spectrum planning


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Location Services

• User requirement has pushed manufacturers to offer integrated GPS solutions

• This includes locating the person, not just vehicles

– APLS (Automatic Person Location Service)

• ETSI standards being enhanced to include a Location protocol standard - LIP


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Personalisation• Portability of personalisation data attractive for

– Mobile terminals (personal issue not practical)

– Shared terminals (transfer of data between shifts, e.g. telephone numbers)

– Replacement and repair

Upload/download from radio

• Re-program of terminal

• Download/upload via PEI

• Download/upload via TETRA

• Download/upload via local (non-TETRA) wireless link

• Multiple profile storage in terminal

SIM

• Widely used

• Likely to be standardised solution

• Not robust

• Security?


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1. Introduction




5. Summary


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Drivers for New Terminal Development

• TETRA terminal volumes are a small fraction of the GSM market (1-2%)

• Manufacturers seeking to exploit synergies with other product lines and technologies

• Common software and hardware platforms to reduce development costs

• TETRA standards and feature roll-out continuously evolving

• Competition in the TETRA market – manufacturers cannot afford to sit back and see their terminals eclipsed by others

• Latest trends in GSM and 3G

– Colour displays

– Polyphonic ring tones

– Camera

– MMS


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Third Generation TETRA Terminals

• Current terminal development cycle 18 – 24 months

• Higher levels of integration and more MIPs

– Class E equalisers?

• Multi-mode (TETRA/GSM/UMTS?) operation??

• Enhanced data facilities, including Java

• Availability of data-only ‘modem’ units (here now)

• Over the Air download and configuration

• Will we see PDA type devices with TETRA capability?

• TETRA2 Highest speed data (nQAM) not until fourth generation?

= !


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1. Introduction




5. Summary


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Summary

• There remains some functionality to be delivered

• Hand portable terminals will continue to evolve to be lighter and smaller

• Interoperability is a reality; TIP determines minimum feature profile

• Key terminal issues being resolved: personalisation, MMI, RF Sensitive Mode

• Short terminal release cycle – this has a real commercial impact

• Specialist terminals and peripherals are starting to be commercially available

• TETRA Release 2 promises much but commercial reality is still several years away

• TETRA offers unique PMR type functionality that is not provided by public cellular networks


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Questions?

David Taylor

Mason Communications Ltd

5 Exchange Quay, Manchester

M5 3EF, UK

Tel: +44 (0)161 877 7808

[email protected]

www.mason.biz

tetra terminals review tetra ireland conference, dublin david taylor, senior consultant mason...

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