Ericsson Communications System Zooms Into
Private-Mobile-Radio Turf
(03/18/98; 2:15 p.m. EST)
By Peter Clarke, EE Times
Ericsson Radio Systems will introduce a radio
communications system at CeBit in Hannover,
Germany, that will give professional mobile radio
users, such as utility and transport companies, an
alternative to their current Private Mobile Radio or
Public Access Mobile Radio systems.
The system will essentially overlay the familiar
functions of a Private Mobile Radio system onto an
established Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM) digital cellular network.
Ericsson Radio, in Stockholm, Sweden, said its new
system, GSM Pro, combines the specialized features
of professional mobile radio with the economy and
functionality of GSM, thereby eliminating the need to
maintain separate radio systems and frequencies. The
GSM Pro system includes a server interfaced to a
GSM network, PC-based dispatch consoles, and
specialized, rugged end-user terminals. The system will
be commercially available by the end of 1998.
"GSM Pro provides the end user with professional
mobile radio functionality without building a special
network, thereby offering the potential to reduce their
capital and operating costs," said Tore Smedman,
product manager for professional mobile radio at
Ericsson Radio Systems.
"Given the state of development of GSM technology
and its ubiquitous coverage, it makes good business
sense for these users to migrate to GSM," Smedman
said.
Professional mobile radio users are used to functions
not traditionally associated with GSM. These include
group calls, special emergency calls, and passive
monitoring. Users are also familiar with the
push-to-talk mode, though this could be seen as a
disadvantage of uniplex radio systems.
An organization using a GSM Pro service could save
the cost of investing in and maintaining its own
network. GSM Pro terminals would function like
push-to-talk radios, but would also allow additional
GSM services, such as data communications and text
messaging.
GSM Pro will also offer advantages to GSM network
operators, Ericsson Radio said. By supporting the
specialized functions of professional mobile users, the
operator serves a whole new group of heavy callers.
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute
-- the standardization body for GSM -- has begun
work to incorporate Private Mobile Radio
functionality into the GSM specification. A
GSM-based alternative to private radio has already
won the support of railway companies in Europe that
have agreed on a GSM-based solution called
GSM-R.
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