Team Simoco recently showcased its range of turbocharged TETRA solutions at the Singapore International Water Week 2008 and OSEA 2008. Visitors to the show were impressed with our flexibility of our TETRA GTi portfolio, which has been designed to support the applications and operating requirements of a wide range of service users, in sectors including utilities and oil & gas, as well as more established areas such as the emergency services.

Team Simoco’s TETRA solutions combine cost-effectiveness with advanced voice and data functionality including voicemail and WAP, and the advantage of GPRS data speeds over a standard TETRA virtual channel – a compelling proposition for systems integrators and consultants

Our TETRA solutions clearly found favour…with the exhibition organisers themselves looking to upgrade their existing analogue system to TETRA.

So what makes TETRA so well suited to the Utilities and Oil & Gas industries?

Frequency and bandwidth

Many markets are moving towards digital, simply because of the lack of available spectrum.  A lack of available analogue licenses has meant that existing service users looking to expand their radio communications network are now migrating to TETRA.  A key advantage of TETRA over analogue PMR is that users four times as many channels with TETRA – four channels for each frequency pair – enabling users to upgrade and increase their communications network more easily to meet evolving needs.

Remote data transfer

Data transfer is an essential part of communication in the utilities and oil & gas sectors, with SCADA systems typically used to transfer remote data on anything from water pumps, water pressure and water levels to power trips and generators. All this requires a backbone to convey data back to a control centre.  Rather than having separate systems for voice and data, TETRA provides a single solution over which workers can communicate voice and data, simplifying communications and reducing expenditure on installation, equipment and maintenance. 

Ensuring staff safety

Workers on offshore platforms or in remote pipeline locations can be vulnerable to extreme situations because of their very locations, so TETRA terminals with in-built GPS or Bluetooth could help customers in oil & gas to track their workers, monitor their position and communicate with them or provide the necessary support in any event. 

What gives TETRA the edge over other technologies?

TETRA being a truly open standard obviously gives us an edge over any proprietary standard.  What this means is that users have so much more choice in terms of system infrastructure and portable and mobile terminals, as well as a wider range of applications including WAP and man down alerts, supporting the strict health & safety requirements and need for effective emergency communication in the often hazardous oil & gas and utilities environments.

But don’t just take our word for it

Systems integrators and consultants are excited by the potential of GTi – its advanced technology and the market opportunities this presents for them.

Ivan Weller, managing director of Wireless Marketing PTE Ltd, is convinced that TETRA GTi is a major step forward for the industry, stating, “It is exciting technology that bridges the gap between Private Land Mobile Radio (PMR) and TCP/IP network based communications. Team Simoco has proven that TETRA technology can extend beyond the domain of high-end operators and with TETRA GTi, opens up the potential for cost effective IP data communications over TETRA. 

For more information on TETRA GTi and our latest range or TETRA solutions, visit our website at www.teamsimoco.com or contact us on 01332 275500.