French company Etelm has launched the first gateway-free TETRA base station, designed to operate over LTE networks.

The e-TBS is a fully converged TETRA and LTE solution, allowing single or multiple e-TBS TETRA base stations, or a complete TETRA network, to sit on the LTE core without the need for external gateways. e-TBS may be integrated either into a private or into a public LTE network.

Etelm president Pierre Minot commented: “There is much debate at the moment about LTE and critical communications. The e-TBS solves the current spectrum and technical issues that remain and opens up the debate and opportunities, not just for public service networks but for other sectors such as transport networks, airports and other mission critical communication users requiring access to broadband data.

“There is deliberation surrounding the ability of commercial network operators to fulfil the needs of mission critical users. The e-TBS solution, allows distinct VPNs to be configured to allow users and network operators to define clear demarcation between mission critical voice and data services and LTE broadband data and voice. Combined with the limited frequency spectrum availability for users, this feature is key to providing users access to broadband mobile data, whilst retaining their critical communications needs.”