Utility organizations have a wide range of radio users competing for access to a finite pool of radio channels. In the future, as these organizations deploy sophisticated operational and workforce management applications that will utilize their digital radio network, demand for radio capacity will be even greater.
When choosing a digital radio platform, utilities need to consider future intensive use of radio spectrum. Tait DMR Tier 3 is the no compromise solution, based on industry best practice in network capacity management.
This platform provides the following capabilities to ensure maximized radio network capacity.
Dynamic channel assignment
Tait DMR Tier 3 is a spectrally efficient trunked digital radio platform, offering utility organizations significant capacity advantages over conventional radio systems.
Unlike conventional systems, the trunked network works with a pool of available channels, maximizing network capacity while coping with peaks in capacity demand. Tait offers advanced network design capability, so future capacity can be forward planned into the network.
DMR Tier 3 dynamically assigns channels to user conversations, automatically and in real time. This dramatically reduces the total spectrum-per-user requirement and eliminates much of the channel planning workload for radio network administrators.
Dynamic voice and data channel sharing
The DMR Tier 3 platform offers utilities maximum flexibility in managing potentially conflicting channel capacity requirements. Channels are automatically assigned to carry voice or data in real time, depending on user demand. On other radio systems, long data messaging can often lock out voice calls. DMR Tier 3 can be configured to give priority to predefined call types – this can occur at any time depending on the needs of the situation. For example, during an emergency voice calls can be granted immediate priority, with data traffic temporarily paused until priority voice calls are finished.
The platform can dynamically adjust priority between various types of voice and data, making Tait DMR Tier 3 one of the most adaptive radio platforms available for utilities. Tait also supports a number of techniques allowing data to keep flowing while voice has priority access.
Individual and group calling
The DMR Tier 3 platform can dynamically assign different call types to each conversation depending on their nature. Calls involving two users are assigned an “individual call”, and calls involving more than two users are assigned a “group call”. Because the system assigns the most appropriate call type to each conversation in real time, the radio network spectrum is optimally utilized around the clock, delivering maximum performance and user availability.
Dynamically variable call timers
There is nothing worse than a scarce resource being wasted. Radio system users in a long conversation deny others the use of valuable radio spectrum. DMR Tier 3 addresses this problem through variable call timers. Managed either manually or by pre-set algorithms, these call timers discretely cut in to restrict call duration to an appropriate length, depending on current system loading and/or time of day.
Roaming
Real time capacity management across a radio network requires an accurate understanding of users’ physical location. DMR Tier 3 supports automatic radio registration procedures to maintain an accurate 24/7 picture of every user’s location on the network. Tait trunked DMR networks can use this information to provide management protocols that will dynamically control network capacity to achieve optimum call capacity. An example is the allocation of radio channel resources only to sites where users who should be in the call are located.
Call queuing
Natural disasters or extreme weather events drive unpredictable peaks in network traffic. Many radio systems will simply overload and begin denying users access to channels, meaning critical calls may not connect. To avoid this critical system failure, DMR Tier 3 has a call queuing feature built in. This ensures that all calls are queued and do connect, even during the most extreme local peaks in network usage.
Call priority and pre-emption
An important precedent of DMR Tier 3 is to distinguish between low and high priority calls, so call priority and pre-emption protocols have been built in to the platform.
In real emergencies, the DMR Tier 3 platform’s ability to prioritize calls can save lives. Call priority is normally initiated from the user terminal, and may involve pressing an emergency button or priority access status. The dispatch center normally uses pre-emption to permit the transmission of urgent information.
Easier for administration and maintenance
As a trunked digital radio system, DMR Tier 3 inherently delivers the superior performance of trunked radio. Easier to manage and maintain than non-trunked systems, DMR Tier 3 has many other advantages:
- all channels are dynamically assigned, so users do not need to choose their channel
- workgroup based dialing makes group calling quicker and easier
- configuration and maintenance of parameters, such as call timers and talkgroup membership, is centralized and can be done remotely
- Centralized Usage Reporting enables far more proactive and efficient network management.
DMR Tier 3 is the no compromise digital radio platform for network capacity management.
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