Zaragoza Police successfully trials the first hybrid TETRA WiMAX 3G network

Zaragoza Police successfully trials the first hybrid TETRA/WiMAX/3G network

August 17, 2010 – TELTRONIC partners with Zaragoza City Hall to deliver first-of-kind, state-of-the-art mobile information solution to Zaragoza Police integrating TETRA with 3G and WiMAX

Zaragoza Police understands the importance of providing the best possible service to its local community and has built up a reputation for deploying the latest technology in its quest for excellence. Back in 2004, it began the roll-out of an advanced TETRA solution supplied by TELTRONIC, which was completed the following year, providing service to its 1,200 officers, 130 police cars and 50 motorcycles, including fixed installations. The TETRA system was integrated with existing ICT infrastructure to provide advanced call centre functionality and video monitoring.

During the summer of 2008, the city of Zaragoza hosted an International Fair (ExpoZaragoza) which took place over 93 days with participants from 103 countries and over 6 million visitors, including dignitaries from all over the world. The existing TELTRONIC TETRA network was extended to provide total coverage of the Fair; around 650 terminals were made available to the organisers and a permanent connection was available to local public safety officers to guarantee the highest levels of security. As many as 22,000 calls were made during the opening day of ExpoZaragoza. In spite of the scale of operations, no loss of service was recorded during the entire 3 months and fortunately, there were no major incidents to deal with. Following the closing ceremony, Zaragoza City Hall took full control of the additional TETRA network capacity.

Following the International Fair, Zaragoza City Hall developed a comprehensive broadband strategy. Following on from the deployment of a city-wide WiFi network, a private mobile WiMAX network was conceived as a way of increasing productivity for the city’s 6,000 municipal employees. During 2009, the first mobile WiMAX trials were undertaken with a network core and some 10 base stations installed. The full roll-out is taking place during 2010 of between 30 and 50 base stations in the licensed 3.5 GHz band. From the outset, the City Hall has been working closely with TELTRONIC so that the Mobile WiMAX network can be fully integrated with the existing TETRA network.

During late 2009, TELTRONIC won a public tender for the development and installation of 44 mobile platforms in Zaragoza Local Police vehicles. The first MVC 6000, multi-bearer mobile devices were brought into operation during early 2010. Integrated with the TETRA mobile (MDT-400), 3G/WiMAX modems, camera and keyboard, the touch-screen technology provides police officers with a rich applications environment, allowing navigation, e-mail, web browsing as well as video recording and transmission. These services enhance the existing voice and data services already available previously over TETRA.

“The installation of TELTRONIC’s MVC 6000 multi-bearer devices in police vehicles opens up new possibilities and new ways of working for Zaragoza Police, which will lead to greater efficiencies and better interaction with the public,” declared Alberto Guallar, WiMAX Project Manager and Senior Advisor, Zaragoza City Hall.

Zaragoza City Hall, Zaragoza Police and TELTRONIC will continue to work closely together to achieve the full integration of the TETRA and Mobile WiMAX networks across the Zaragoza metropolitan area as well as developing new services and applications to fulfil the future requirements of all network users. These are exciting times for the professional mobile communications industry as innovative business and operational models continue to evolve towards a new era of broadband communications.

For further information, please contact:Peter Clemons, Director of Communications, Teltronic S.A.U.:Tel. +34-976-465656Mobile: +44-7951-289934pclemons@teltronic.es