Voice & Data

TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) is a technology designed to provide the robust, resilient ‘mission critical’ private mobile communications services needed by professional users such as the emergency services and commercial/industrial organisations with mobile workforces or large fleets of vehicles.

The clarity of TETRA communication is guaranteed through outstanding noise cancellation capabilities and a special voice codec for optimised voice performance in challenging noisy areas view this video TETRA vs VHF.

Professional users generally need particular features to enable them to work effectively. These include secure encrypted networks, calls and two way radio messaging, assured coverage and call quality, the ability to send voice, data and images, direct mode operation which allows rapid communications between groups of workers (such as an emergency service response team at a major incident), and managed fall-back for additional resilience. TETRA has characteristics in common with the mobile networks with which we are all familiar but offers the additional features which are required to meet these needs.

In order to meet the needs of traditional PMR user organisations, TETRA provides several services and facilities for both voice and data transmission, the main of which are here below listed.

Key Voice Services and Facilities

  • Group Call (with Late Entry)
  • Individual Call
  • Emergency Call and Pre-Emptive Priority Call
  • Priority Call and Busy Queuing
  • Dynamic Group Number Assignment (DGNA)
  • Ambience and Discreet Listening
  • Call Authorised by Dispatcher
  • Direct Mode Operation (DMO)

Data Services and Facilities

TETRA provides a wide range of data transmission services from short messaging up to wideband data transfer facilities. Moreover TETRA also provides an open data application environment thanks to standardised interface enabling data applications to be developed regardless of the underlying TETRA modem terminal.

The following data facilities are offered by TETRA:

  • Text messaging
  • Status messaging
  • Short Data Service (with Transport Layer)
  • IP Packet Data
  • Mobile positioning (with Location Information Protocol)
  • TETRA Enhanced Data Service (TEDS)
  • Peripheral Equipment Interface (PEI)

Further details about the above services and facilities can be found in the For TETRA Specialists section here.

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