Tetrapol Technology

TETRAPOL : The only operational and deployed secure digital radio communications technology in the world

TETRAPOL is the name of a fully digital radiocommunication standard for professional communications organisations. The TETRAPOL technology is suitable for a wide range of users applications, for example, civil, military, private or public, requiring an operationally proven voice and data radio communications solution.
Since 1988, when TETRAPOL was chosen for the world's first implementation of a large-scale digital PMR network (RUBIS for the French National Gendarmerie), its subsequent success has been unstoppable accross europe and worldwide, being adopted by a wide range of civilian, military, public safety, industrial and commercial (transports, logistics, automotive, etc.) organisations.
With on the average four new networks launched each year since 1990, there are today 60 TETRAPOL networks deployed or in the process of being deployed in 28 countries.

Inception of a technology

Since its inception, TETRAPOL has become the No. 1 professional digital radio communications technology in the world. Today it is the only solution deployed on a large scale which has proven its reliability and its operational effectiveness in the field under operational situations. The following practical examples bear witness: the G7 summits since 1996, the World Football Cup in 1998, the Pope's trip to Romania in May 1999, the International Monetary Fund's meeting in the Czech Republic in September 2000 thanks to the Pegas network, and so on.
This exemplary success story confirms a well known truth : in terms of technology, it is always the market that decides. TETRAPOL technology, developed with users for users, responds perfectly to market requirements.
Based on an FDMA (frequency division multiple access) multiplex approach using a narrow-band channel operating at 12.5 KHz, the TETRAPOL solution is well adapted to PMR requirements, and guarantees for PMR the most cost-effective radio coverage on extended networks deployed over population-dense or difficult-terrain areas. Providing a "unifying" infrastructure capable of interconnecting multiple organizations or of interoperating at borders with other national networks, TETRAPOL is the answer to security requirements whether in the public or private sector.

No.1 in the world : The market has selected its standard

TETRAPOL interfaces are defined on the Publicly Available Specifications. TETRAPOL radio interfaces use a fully digital transmission both for signalling and traffic (voice and data). The technology, developed simultaneously with the GSM (Global System for Mobile Radiocommunications), benefits from synergies with GSM in terms of development and production.
The technology specifications were developed in relation in cooperation with public safety organisations to meet their needs for voice and data transmission at a rate nearly 7 times higher than that of current analogue transmission networks. The first network exploiting this technology were established in 1992 and, even now, no other digital technology is in wide-scale operation.
51 public and private organizations have now selected TETRAPOL. This support demonstrates a high level of confidence in this technology which is recognized on both an international and european scale.
As with GSM, this technological advance is capturing markets outside of Europe. Promotion of the technology is conducted by a manufacturer association, the TETRAPOL Forum, and a TETRAPOL Users' Club.

TETRAPOL is recognized by the European Union's Police Cooperation Group, and having proven its operational effectiveness in many countries, is today accepted as a "de facto" standard internationally by the ITU, the ECPT and the European Commission.

Toward new generation IP solutions

TETRAPOL's evolution path is being driven by the development of new technologies related to the Internet Protocol (IP). The development of next-generation IP based solutions will enhance network performance while continuing to decrease capital and maintenance investment costs.