The formation of the North America TETRA Forum (NATF) was announced at the International Wireless Communications Expo in Las Vegas in February. It aims to open up considerable potential for the growing adoption of TETRA as a multi-vendor digital trunking technology in the region.

TETRA forums are already bringing interested parties together in Australasia, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, southern Africa and Poland, where hardware manufacturers, solutions providers and users are involved in joint initiatives designed to promote growing acceptance of the TETRA standard.

Representing North American interests in the evolution of the TETRA standard, the NATF will provide education on the technology and also focus on engaging with all stakeholders including legislators and regulators on radio frequency spectrum for TETRA networks. The forum will facilitate development of voice and data applications and other services.

Kevin Graham and Gary Lorenz, the founding directors of the NATF, explained: “ The inaugural members include many renowned international TETRA suppliers, North American based suppliers and distributors, value-add solution providers and consulting organizations, which can assist professional land mobile users in North America migrate their present analogue systems to the feature rich capability of TETRA that is already deployed in 126 countries worldwide.

“The TETRA technology also meets the requirements for frequency efficiency and complies with the FCC UHF narrowbanding mandate.”

The international TETRA + Critical Communications Association (TCCA), formerly known as the TETRA Association, has been actively supporting the formation of the NATF. Phil Kidner, chief executive officer for the TCCA, said: “TETRA is gaining a much deserved foothold in North America, given its versatility, comprehensive range of voice and data and security features and value as a platform for critical communications. 

The creation of the NATF is a major advance in enabling existing and potential users to explore the technology in greater depth also through the several TETRA pilot systems which are currently being deployed in the region. It will be a constructive forum for sharing experiences of the many situations in which TETRA has already provided voice and data capabilities in a wide range of demanding business, industry, transportation and government environments.”