10,000 TETRA handsets to help during CWG

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Huge gaming events and new technologies seem to have an inseparable bond in India. In 1982, the color television technology was introduced in India when the country was preparing for Asian Games and now with Common Wealth Games due in October this year, India is going to induce TETRA handset in to its e-governance system for government agencies.

Delhi government has ordered 10,000 TETRA handsets for government - especially for security agencies. These handsets will start working from this April.

“We have ordered 10,000 TETRA handsets for secure and uninterrupted communication for security agencies. These handsets were used by security agencies during Melbourne and Beijing Olympics. Now we will be using it. All the government agencies like police, transport, senior officials and ambulances will stay connected to these handsets,” Savitur Prasad, Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Government of NCT of Delhi told CIOL.

HCL and Motorola have jointly won the seven year contract for supplying such handsets to Delhi government. During the contract period, Motorola will supply 17 thousand TETRA handsets and will update these handsets as the new version of these devices comes.

“For Common Wealth Games, we will get 10,000 TETRA handsets and rest 7000 will be supplied over the terms of contract. These handsets will be upgraded to TED (TETRA Enhanced Data system) in 2011,” said Prasad.

There will be 46 towers installed across the city for these handsets. In case of any kind of damage to these towers, TETRA handsets have in-built technology to connecting with each.

“We had seen during Sarojni Nagar blast the way telecom network collapsed. Senior police officials had to literally visit blast site to see the situation and then they went to brief the Chief Minister, who then briefed home minister. Hence the need was felt to build robust and reliable communication system for government agencies,” said Prasad.

Delhi government has taken separate license specifically for these handsets from the Department of Telecom and Wireless Planning Commission. TETRA communication system will operate in frequency band of 400-430 Mhz and will have dynamic encryption for communication. All the TETRA terminals are GPS enabled.