Telecommunications · Guide
From TETRA to LTE and 5G: Moving Public Safety Radio to Broadband
How agencies can add mission-critical broadband to a TETRA radio network, and when to replace it.
TETRA has carried public safety voice for decades. LTE and 5G now offer mission-critical broadband with video, data and location. This guide explains how agencies can move from one to the other without losing the radio capabilities they rely on.
In this guide
- What TETRA does well
- Where TETRA reaches its limits
- What mission-critical LTE and 5G add
- Three ways to migrate
- What to check before moving
- TETRA and Syria
What TETRA does well
TETRA is a digital trunked radio standard built for voice and short data. It offers group calls, direct mode between radios, priority handling and wide coverage from a modest number of sites. Terminals have long battery life, and many agencies have years of experience running it.
Where TETRA reaches its limits
Data rates are low, so live video, large files, maps and modern applications are hard to carry. Newer broadband applications are built for LTE and 5G networks, not for TETRA.
What mission-critical LTE and 5G add
The 3GPP standards body has defined mission-critical push-to-talk, data and video services (MCPTT, MCData and MCVideo) from Release 13 onward (3GPP). With priority and pre-emption, they bring group voice, video and data onto one broadband network.
Three ways to migrate
| Approach | How it works | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Coexistence | TETRA keeps carrying voice while LTE or 5G adds data and video. A gateway lets users on each network talk to each other. | TETRA still works well and budgets are limited. |
| Phased replacement | Broadband replaces TETRA region by region, as coverage and mission-critical voice are tested and accepted. | TETRA is ageing and the agency wants one platform. |
| New build | A new LTE or 5G network is built directly, with an optional gateway to any TETRA that still works. | TETRA is missing, damaged or out of date. |
What to check before moving
- Voice behavior: call set-up time, group calls and direct-mode alternatives, tested against what users do today.
- Coverage and resilience: site design, backhaul and backup power for the broadband network.
- Interworking: industry groups such as the TCCA have published work on interworking between TETRA and 3GPP mission-critical services (TCCA).
- Devices: rugged handsets and vehicle terminals, including devices that support both technologies.
- People and procedures: training and operating rules before cut-over.
- Spectrum, licensing and security: approvals from the regulator, and encryption and access control designed in.
- Lifecycle cost: the cost of running two networks during the transition, and of devices and support.
TETRA and Syria
Syria's emergency communications have relied on a national TETRA network contracted in 2008 (Light Reading). Its present condition and coverage have not been verified. Our implementation guide treats it as a legacy system to interwork with where it still operates, and proposes a new LTE/5G network built from the ground up. See also our public safety broadband network service.
Frequently asked questions
Is TETRA obsolete?
Not yet in many countries. It still works for voice. The move is driven by the need for data, video and applications, and many agencies run both networks for years.
Can TETRA and LTE work together?
Yes. Gateways and interworking functions let users on each network talk to each other, and industry groups such as the TCCA have published work on interworking between TETRA and 3GPP mission-critical services.
Does 3S Ventures offer this?
It is a proposed offering for government agencies, and depends on a government mandate, licensing and technical validation. 3S Ventures has not yet completed a network of this kind.
Sources
Third-party sources. Listing a source does not imply any affiliation.
Discuss moving from TETRA to broadband
If you run a radio network and want to add broadband, tell us about it and we will respond.
This guide is general information. 3S Ventures has not yet delivered a network of this kind, and every offering depends on licensing, regulatory approval, supplier agreements and technical validation.