To complement industry-leading Etherstack protocol stack software, Etherstack have developed a complete range of LMR network infrastructure components.  Using these components, manufacturers and system integrators can build flexible, feature-rich, and future-proof LMR networks at highly affordable price points.

Based on high-availability IP soft-switching technology, Etherstack LMR radio networks can vary in scale from single-site conventional analog / digital systems, to nationwide multi-site trunked systems capable of supporting numerous third-party applications (eg voice-recording, dispatching, AVL etc) as well as encryption and ancillary services.

Etherstack network elements are capable of supporting any combination of analog and digital communications standards (eg APCO P25 Phase-I / Phase-II, dPMR, DMR, MPT1327, TETRA etc) giving system implementors the highest possible level of flexibility in design.

This approach also enables multi-protocol users to inter-communicate without the expense and complexity of additional external system components – this capability is core functionality of Etherstack LMR networks. Furthermore, Etherstack’s use of standards-based protocols allows system designers to mix and match system components as required.

Standards-Based Approach

Etherstack LMR systems and network components are designed and built from the ground-up to be standards-based. Such an approach leads to maximum reuse of existing infrastructure, greatest level of interoperability with other manufacturer’s products and consequently providing system-builders and end-users alike the most capable final system deployments at the best price.

Core System Elements

Etherstack LMR networks consist of a number of elements that can be integrated as the complexity of the system dictates. Furthermore, many elements can be added after initial system deployment, leading to the acquisition of technology only as it is required and achieving highly affordable yet sophisticated system builds. LMR network elements include:

• Base Station Controller (BSC)
• Console Engine (CE)
• Data Service Node (DSN)
• Inter System Gateway (ISG)
• Key Management System (KMS)
• Media Function (MF)
• Network Location Register (NLR)
• P25 and DMR Channel Controllers (CC)
• PSTN Gateway (PSTNG)
• Radio System Network Controller (RNC)
• Soft Radio (SR)

Design Services

Fully designed and specified LMR networks can either be delivered by system integrators, or Etherstack can provide as a service detailed designs for implementation.

On-Premises and Cloud-Hosted Solutions 

A combination of hosted and at-customer-site solutions are available when deploying Etherstack LMR networks. For those customers with significant, hardened and secure ICT infrastructure, on-site solutions can be an efficient deployment, leveraging their existing investments. Equally, for those customers with asset-lite infrastructure, substantially cloud-hosted solutions are available, reducing the need for end users to manage resilience, maintenance and security aspects of local systems.

Network Deployment Flexibility

This also means that networks can be grown (both in capacity and geographically), reused and reorganized easily by adding, removing or moving infrastructure elements, and reconfigured or upgraded merely by software update. Subscriber capacity is essentially unlimited, and can be extended via software reconfiguration.

Permanent, planned networks and field deployable networks for roll-out on an incident by incident basis are both equally suited to Etherstack technology.

Future-Proof Technology with Complete End-to-End Security 

An Etherstack LMR network solution results in integration of the most advanced features offered by the standards, from the hand portable subscriber unit to the base station through to the edges of the network. No voice transcoding is performed at any point in the network. This permits uncompromised end-to-end encryption, ensuring unconditional privacy for end users. Furthermore, as new features become available as standards evolve, functional updates and upgrades can be supported simply by remote software deployment.

Further Information

Please see attached brochure for further Etherstack network infrastructure details.