Nationwide TETRA radio network for Hungarian authorities fully operative

Network rolled out within record time

Final acceptance given from the customer

June 6 2007 – The roll-out of Hungary’s nationwide TETRA network is finalised. It was carried out in record time without any obstacles – within the frame of the most considerable public procurement process of the past ten years in Hungary. The Unified Digital Radio System (UDRS – EDR in Hungarian language) passed now the Final Acceptance Test from the Hungarian Government.

The respective contract was awarded in February 2006 and was completed end of 2006. This is the result of the effective cooperation of Pro-M Professional Mobile Radio, EADS Secure Networks and Hungarian Telecom.

“We are proud to reach the success in record time together with our partners. The contribution of EADS was supplying the necessary network elements – 242 base stations, 4 switches, 390 dispatcher workstations, several servers and a network management system – on time as well as providing professional experts at the sites. The completion of every phase was fulfilled by or before the scheduled deadline”, stated Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of EADS Secure Networks.

“After several years of preparation, the fulfilment of a significant government project comes to conclusion by handing over the EDR system which will have an important role in providing the most advanced support to enable the cooperation of national public safety organisations. The public safety agencies such as police, border guards, fire service, catastrophe prevention, ambulance, armed forces and security services will be able to commence putting the new radio system gradually in use following the handover” – pointed out Mr. Geza Meichl, head of EDR Office of the Prime Minister Office.

Today operationally used by the police, the EDR will also serve border and prison guards, fire, ambulance, customs, the armed forces and the security services. The network – which provides coverage over 94% of the country – will eventually serve 42,000 subscribers, some 14,000 of whom are already operational users.

A number of applications and functions are already being used. For example, an experimental AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) service is being piloted and a GPS location service is operational. Connectivity for PABX networks has been created and TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) services could be used. Short Data Service is also in operation, the basic TETRA functional services, such as group call and emergency call, are working reliably and dedicated Virtual Private Networks have been set up for the different public safety services.

By contrast, EADS TETRA system brings a number of benefits, including a unified country wide network, easy cross-agency communication enabling effective command and control, local police stations on 24/7 duty via the dispatcher system throughout the country. The simplicity of the system makes it possible to improve effectiveness and performance.

The first real test of the Hungarian TETRA network took place on 20 August 2006 – which is the most important national celebration in the country – due to the sad events caused by a sudden enormous storm. The EDR terminals were already in real usage by the police. The system passed the exam with success, the end users were able to be in contact and effectively communicate and co-operate with each other during the most chaotic events.

EADS Secure Networks is a world leading provider of Professional Mobile Radio (PMR). EADS solutions for PMR enable professional organizations to communicate together effectively, reliably, and securely. EADS is the only company in the world that can offer specialized PMR solutions based on TETRAPOL, TETRA, and P25 technologies, according to customer requirements. EADS has already delivered 150 mission-critical PMR networks, whereof more than 30 with nationwide coverage.

EADS Secure Networks is part of the Business Unit Defence and Communications Systems (DCS), the “Systems House” of EADS, an integrated unit of the EADS Defence & Security Division (DS). DS is a systems solutions provider combining military air systems, missile systems, communications and intelligence systems, global security solutions as well as sensor and avionics systems into a single effective network. In 2006, DS – with its around 23,000 employees – achieved revenues of 5.9 billion.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2006, EADS generated revenues of 39.4 billion and employs a workforce of about 116,800.

Contacts:

Susanne Hartwein
Tel.: +49 (0) 731 392 1757
susanne.hartwein@eads.com

Brigitte Faure
Tel.: +33 (0) 161385329
brigitte.faure@eads.com