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gradual implementation of a new trunking radio system (digital, as you will know, because of the regulatory agency); an open standard protocol (we had some problems with EDACS because it was not open); we wanted coverage of 100 per cent for voice and data; and interoperability with the analogue system (you have to migrate gradually). We made this interoperability by back-to-back [radios]. “So we decided to have 2000 terminals; 100 per cent


coverage; after-sales service; system growth capacity; to have autonomous internal management and control (we decided to have our own because of our mission-critical work here); terminal robustness, because our operators have some special necessities; multi-vendor; and a complete set of gateways because we wanted to have interfacing with telephony and data.” Tese gateways would provide links to telephone and


ISDN networks. One other requirement on the list was voice recording


– both to meet legal requirements in Brazil and to enable safety-conscious plant managers to review any incidents which might occur in this critical environment.


Selecting a system TETRA was not the automatic choice. Other radio technologies examined by the team included the APCO P25 digital system and MPT 1327 analogue trunking technology – which would have been significantly cheaper. “But then we saw that the TETRA system had advantages like an open protocol and constant improvements, effective management, big number of suppliers”, Mr Gagno went on. “Tat’s very important for us – large market, lower prices, spare parts.” Offsetting these positive factors were a few negative ones:


the technology was new, there were few TETRA systems in Brazil at the time, and there was no TETRA-equipped steel plant anywhere in the world (though there are others now, such as in Russia and South Africa). Another was the price. “When you compare it with MPT, for instance, we had to have very strong arguments for our Board to justify this”, Mr Gagno commented. Te next step was to install an experimental TETRA base


station so that radio coverage tests could be performed. From these it was clear that a two-site system would be needed, with one base station located on top of the administrative buildings and the other in the industrial area. With this experience, the team assessed six or seven


TETRA suppliers, but had to cross some of them off the list because they could not offer adequate on-the-spot support


The plant is located near Vitória, capital of the coastal state of Espírito Santo. Its two-site TETRA system provides essential communications, supporting more than 400 talkgroups


Adjacent to the steel plant is a private seaport which ships its products to destinations in Brazil and beyond


Issue 6 2012 TE TRA TODAY 11


Oxygen factory: the Tubarão plant produces many of its requirements for its steelmaking processes at the site itself


in Brazil. Tis was one of the key factors which directed the decision towards the Spanish manufacturer Teltronic, which was already very active in South America. “With Teltronic, we have very good support in Brazil”, Mr Gagno said. “It is very important for us.”


IP connections Also favouring Teltronic, he added, was the fact that its Nebula TETRA infrastructure is wholly based on ethernet IP. It would therefore be fully compatible with the plant’s extensive Cisco ethernet IT network environment and with IP-based applications. “We decided to have it because of cost reduction and standards based on the Internet, and simplified management because our management system can be any IP point”, he said. Te IT network would also allow call recording via VoIP


and would provide convenient and secure communications links – such as between the two radio base station sites. “Tey are redundant, the links”, Mr Gagno explained. “One is by the corporate network, because it’s ethernet and easier for us to integrate, and the other one is by the telephony network. But today we’ve put in a dedicated optical fibre link for this.”


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