Host organization of the TETRA World Congress, which took place in Budapest last month, was the TETRA Association. But if there was a host TETRA network for the event, it was EDR, the Unified Digital Radio Communications System for Hungary’s public services. This country-wide system, opened in 2007, is operated by Pro-M, a division of Magyar Telecom, which achieved the remarkable feat of completing its 270-site roll-out in just 421 days.

“The capacity of the network is 42?000 users”, said Béla Kozma, chief executive of Pro-M, speaking on the company’s exhibition stand. “Today roughly there are 39?000 already activated... but in 2007–2008, within a very short period, a large number of customers were connected to the network.

“Within the network we have the classical three main users – the police, fire brigade and ambulance, and altogether we have 28 user groups. They are grouped in VPNs and they are using very widely their interoperability channels, their talkgroups between the public safety users.”

Network infrastructure was supplied by Cassidian (EADS), but several Hungarian companies also participated in the project. One highlighted by Mr Kozma was BHE, whose exhibition stand was just opposite Pro-M’s: its contribution included TETRA repeaters to improve network coverage. For 10 watt mobile terminals, radio coverage now extends to 99 per cent of the country.

TEDS on test

Pro-M now intends to explore TETRA technology further with TETRA TEDS data. “In the second half of this year we will implement a pilot network, a test network to show the TETRA enhanced data service possibilities of the EDR”, Mr Kozma continued. “We have two major targets, objectives. The first is to test the network by the engineers and collect information for our planning guys and their planning activities. And the second, when we put on green, it means the network is ready to test by the customers and the users – and we would like to invite them to try their applications on the network. At the closing of the two phases of the test, our plan is to put it in to the living network in the first quarter of next year.”

Initially the TEDS installation will be limited to a single radio site. “First it will be in a testbed environment and, after, in the living environment”, said Mr Kozma. “But it’s only one base station. And based on the demand of the users, we are ready and we would like to implement it into the network as well.”

The tests should also provide an understanding of how much the customers want the enhanced TEDS data capability. “This is one of the main targets of the tests of the users tests, to get this information, to get this feedback and, based on that, we will have to make a business plan for it”, he added. “By initiating this test environment we would like to trigger it!”

During the World Congress, Pro-M brought some 50–60 leading users from among its customers to visit the show, providing guided tours of the exhibition stands so that they could examine the latest TETRA products and services. “We started at our booth, implementing our results and new activities, and we guided them through our vendors and main partners here, and they were very satisfied”, Mr Kozma said.