If faith in TETRA’s longevity is to be measured in new handset investment then, along with Motorola, the likes of Sepura, with its new ATEX and IECEx devices including the STP8X, Cassidian with its TH1n and other devices, and Unimo with its UT- and PT-1500, are all showing their faith that TETRA will be around for a good while, thereby warranting the substantial investment that comes with developing new terminals.

VP and general manager of Motorola’s TETRA business, Tom Quirke, further echoed sentiments above that the progress of TETRA – now on six continents, operating in more than 100 countries, 57 of which have joined the list between 2007 and 2011 – underpins what new products and capabilities emerge, with much of the research and development done resulting from listening to customers. He said that major trends, such as single man policing and lone workers in the field, often the result of economic pressures on the end-user organization, play their part in deciding the functionality of new handsets. So whilst these customers need to do more with their assets for less, the equipment to support the ultimate end user must still meet the highest standards of safety for the individual, so such factors as connectivity and audio quality must continue to improve. 

Of the company’s new MTP3000 series he said it’s safer, tougher and easier to use than its forerunners. “It’s light, rugged and beta tested – feedback from different organisations during beta trials has already been extremely positive, and we are very pleased that a user group in the Netherlands has already chosen the MTP3000 series as its radio of choice”, said Mr Quirke.

With every gain, however, there is often a bit of give and take, which in this case is the effect on battery life. Motorola’s Siew-Loong Chan told TETRA Today during the Dubai TWC that customers typically need a 1.5-hour working life for a battery during an ‘event or incident’ and while the MTP3000s will provide 12-16 hours of battery life, depending on usage, “Compared to previous generations [of handsets] battery life has fallen, but this is a compromise and sacrifice for increased functionality and audio quality that we believe is worth making.”

For a manufacturer like Motorola, delivering products that meets end-user needs is a continuing process of monitoring the market, understanding intimately what the customer wants and needs, and coming up with the right solution. And with data needs on the rise, future proofing to accommodate TEDS is essential, with one of the key issues driving handset development being the emerging importance of broadband and data over TETRA. 

Iain Ivory, of Motorola Solutions, said during TWC Dubai:  “With broadband talked about all the time now customers buying handsets today are asking the crucial questions: ‘will it still be relevant in three years time? And where does TEDS fit into all this?” 

On TEDS, Motorola’s conclusion after pilot projects in Norway and its own research – Motorola has just finished a two-year research programme on the use of TEDS – is that even with the impending arrival of broadband, LTE etc, TEDS is relevant and has a place alongside the other broadband technologies with the company fully committed to the future of TETRA and TEDS as the core of mission-critical communications. However, the company is also developing LTE devices, applications and services, highlighted by its recent launch of the LEX700 Public Safety LTE device.

Motorola’s MTP3000