The Telecommunications Department of the Ministry of Interior (MOI) was honoured by AIRBUS during the Critical Communication World (CCW) conference held in Hong Kong recently, for its successful collaboration to create a new product that connects the TETRA and LTE networks in the field of security, the first of its kind in the world. 

Brigadier Ali Salim Al Henzab, director of the Telecom Department, said that the MOI is always keen to be at the forefront of the latest communication systems in its service sector. He pointed out that MOI has been working with the TETRA system since 2006, at the start of the Asian Games. The Telecom Department has been working constantly to keep pace with the global development in the field of telecommunications, which resulted in the introduction of new systems with the first, second and third generations of GSM. It has now reached the fourth generation, which is called the LTE system.

The TETRA system is a security system that works with high efficiency and was relied upon by security agencies. But the entry of LTE provided newer security features that is not available in the TETRA system, such as video and data transmission as well as voice transmission.

He added that Qatar is one of the first countries in the world – the third country – to introduce the LTE system as part of its security system. Having the use of two networks of communication, TETRA and LTE, the security personnel had to use two devices at the same time. 

The Telecommunications Department started to search for a new invention with features of the two telecommunications services in one. The telecom engineers introduced the idea of ​​integrating the TETRA and LTE systems into one network with AIRBUS, the producers of TETRA system. The idea was to create a new product that enables the user to obtain both features of the two systems through a single device. The new system will provide voice, image and data services simultaneously and at high speeds.

The engineers at AIRBUS International conducted a study that led to the creation of a new product. It is a single system that jointly uses TETRA and LTE networks. It was developed through the active partnership between the company and the MOI Telecommunications Department. MOI had sent a number of Qatari engineers to work with engineers of AIRBUS. In a joint effort that lasted for nearly a year, AIRBUS succeeded in developing the new product called AGNET.

The development of the system includes the upgrade of the LTE system following international standards for security networks and comprising the field of PPDR and Mission Critical Services. After the adoption of AGNET by telecommunications organisations, it will be linked to the global standards for security networks.

Qatar is the first country in the world to use the new AGNET system. With this advance development, the MOI’s Department of Telecommunications is not merely a user of some of the global communications systems, but a partner in the process of innovation and production of these systems, demonstrating the ability of Qatar to compete globally in the field of communications.

Visit the MOI website for more information.