TETRA SOLUTIONS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT Enabling the future of voice and data communications sepura.com
Sepura offers one of the broadest ranges of standard and specialist radio products, support tools and accessories TO THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT INDUSTRY Public Transport the Challenges? Wherever they are in the world, public transport operators today face a common set of macro issues: Rising operating costs Increased environmental awareness Cost of infrastructure development rising Enhanced demand for travel However, overlaid on these issues are a significant set of consumer, cultural and societal trends, which are also impacting upon the sector. These include: Rapid increase in level of sophistication of technology Reliance upon information technology in some age groups/countries Divergence in access to information and IT systems Demand for products and, particularly, services to be integrated Expectation of rapid access to information Significantly increased awareness of security issues Commercialisation of activities, particularly across the public sector Enhanced awareness of safety issues As with so many business sectors, communication has always been a key consideration across the whole public transport sector, from airports to tramways. Bus operators, for example, were some of the earliest adopters of analogue (trunked or conventional) radio systems, which allowed basic voice communications to help maintain efficient operation of the timetable and to assist with any incidents and accidents. As the demands, requirements and expectations for public transport develop to meet the challenges of both the macro environment and the trends amongst consumers/passengers, so the communication requirements alter and develop. transmitting data is now a key issue for transport operators and TETRA is very much designed for this task
Why Tetra? Across the world, the fundamental requirement for bus drivers, on-street controllers, airport operations staff, control centre staff and maintenance/ support personnel to have access to voice communications has not altered. Efficient daily operations, the ability to deal with disruptions and incidents and the need to make emergency calls remain three of the key fundamental drivers for voice calls. However, there are now a significant number of other issues and these are data, security, advanced functionality, applications, frequency usage and audio clarity. Data As with so many other sectors, data is now at the hub of many transport operators thinking. Bus/tram operators do not require simply vehicle location or passenger counting information, but also engine management data, driver performance information and even CCTV stills or software updates for other on-board devices. Real-Time Passenger Information systems are proliferating, whilst many smaller operators are at the very least investing in Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems. Data speed and capacity requirements now exceed those of most legacy analogue systems and so new solutions need to be found. Operators of transport hubs, such as airports, typically have a lower, but rising, demand for data. Security In times past, whether third parties could listen in to to transport operators radio frequencies was not a consideration. Today, with transport networks viewed as CNI (Critical National Infrastructure) in many countries and also as key aspects of evacuation plans, security is of vital, and growing, importance. Encryption can be important to operators and may even be mandated by regulators. It should also be remembered that security of both staff and the travelling public are key considerations and thus the advanced security functions and the high quality audio which TETRA offers are also of critical importance. Frequency usage As data usage and transmission proliferate in so many business and consumer sectors, so too are the many other uses of radio spectrum. Efficient use of the available spectrum is a growing challenge and so using a digital radio technology, such as TETRA, which offers excellent and efficient use of its allocated frequencies makes economic and practical sense for many users. Audio clarity Airports, buses and trams are inherently noisy environments, but communications are often critical and need to be heard clearly and in full. As a digital standard, TETRA offers exceptional audio quality right up to the limit of coverage. Unlike legacy analogue systems, which were primarily designed for unencrypted, network-wide, group or one-to-one voice communications, TETRA is a spectrum-efficient, modern, secure standard, which is designed to transmit significant quantities of data on a frequent basis. The SRG mobile radios are extremely versatile thanks to their very powerful software platform which has enabled them to interact easily with existing onboard train systems It can handle both packet data and short data services and is becoming an increasingly popular choice across the public transport arena worldwide. Advanced functionality Transport hubs and networks are complex operations and thus radio users have a wide range of requirements, in terms of talkgroup membership and interaction with third parties. TETRA is a feature-rich standard and offers the functionality, particularly in terms of multiple talkgroup memberships, that users require. Applications While transmitting data to be analysed, stored or acted upon is a core requirement, data applications which automatically trigger actions or which enable interaction with, or interrogation of, an external database or application are now both available and of considerable interest to operators. Typically, when analysed, many of these bus/tram data applications involve small data packets, sent on a very frequent basis per radio user. The capability to undertake this task is typically only found in digital radio networks.
Why SEPURA? Working through its dedicated global network of channel partners, Sepura, as the world s leading networkindependent supplier of TETRA terminals, has a strong and growing presence in the public transport arena. We are not only experts in TETRA technology, but also in the application of the technology to public transport requirements. In addition to the generic strengths that a TETRA network brings, be it a dedicated single-site or a shared city-wide network, Sepura offers the public transport sector around the world, a number of specific benefits. These include: Hardware resilience Sepura hand-portable and mobile radios are remarkably rugged and robust and are designed not only to withstand harsh conditions and treatment, but also to deliver outstanding MTBF performance. Transport operators do not want expensive vehicles to be idle, due to radio failure, nor do they wish to compromise staff and passenger safety. Therefore, resilient hardware is critical and makes Sepura terminals an excellent choice. Frequency availability As a global leader, Sepura is aware of the radio spectrum licensed for use by TETRA around the world and supplies terminals accordingly. Thus, customers in the transport arena around the world can select Sepura terminals to match their allocated frequencies. Radio applications Sepura terminals offer users unrivalled data applications capability; they support, as standard, all TETRA data services Status, SDS, single & multi-slot packet data and the SRG mobile radio has two independent data ports for connectivity to third party applications. GPS, Emergency Alarm with Live microphone and, on our hand-portable radios, Man Down options offer efficient resource management and protect the work force. Sepura radios are able to host bespoke applications for customers. This is of particular relevance to organisations across the public transport arena, who often require interaction with third party systems. Security As the leading, global supplier to public safety agencies, encryption and security are key Sepura strengths and thus appealing to organisations throughout the world of public transport, for whom secure communications are of paramount importance. the new shared TETRA network delivers impressive lone-worker protection thanks to the ability to locate every single terminal operating on the network in real time Flexibility As a global player focussed solely on TETRA radios, Sepura is able to offer flexibility of approach coupled with the expertise which specialisation brings. Operators not only require interfacing to, for example, various on-board computers, ticketing machines and other organisations radio networks, but also need flexibility for the physical configuration and installation. For example, our mobile radios offer the potential for multiple control heads, while our virtual console offers unrivalled display options. Interfacing Sepura offers a highly-specified and well-documented computer interface, which then allows systems integrators to develop applications that can be transported over the radio network. This is an important advantage, given the multiple potential applications that transport operators can utilise. Sepura TETRA radios have proved to be the most suitable in a high noise environment because of their high quality and clear audio
Sepura is a global operator, with a worldwide network of channel and solutions partners. We have a long and growing pedigree in public transport and have delivered solutions to a wide range of customers. These include terminals, accessories and software for: Air France Charles de Gaulle France Bangkok Airport Thailand Bangkok Metro Thailand Billund Airport Denmark Bursa City Transport Turkey Cochin & Hyderabad & Bangalore Airports India Dubai Airport UAE Düsseldorf Airport - Germany Fiumicino Airport Italy Frankfurt Airport - Germany Glasgow Metro UK Kiev Airport Ukraine Lyon City Transport France Moscow Metro - Russia Mumbai Monorail India Nancy City Transport France Nantes City Transport France Royal Jordanian Airlines Queen Alia Airport Jordan Sofia Airport Bulgaria Würzburg Trams - Germany 9 Regional Airports Spain 18 Regional Airports Brazil Hannover Airport - Germany Sepura is an ideal partner for public transport operators and is committed to continuing its investment in new solutions for this important market sector. For more information, please contact us on +44 (0)1223 876000 or salesmarketingsupport@sepura.com Sepura plc For more information visit sepura.com DN070 Transport Sector Brochure English / September 2011