Nowadays, smartphones have become versatile tools that allow us to perform multiple tasks, such as searching the web, hailing a taxi, taking photos to share, and more. However, it’s important to remember that before this technology became widespread, government agencies and various organizations relied on two-way radios for their communication needs. In the past, there was even a time when beepers were commonly used, which were small devices similar to Twitter but limited to sending messages of only 144 characters. Two-way radios continue to be employed for heavy-duty tasks and critical communications, offering a reliable means of coordination among different working groups without the distractions and complexities associated with smartphones. 

Large-Scale Sport Events 

The Winter Olympic Games is a significant global sporting event that takes place once every four years. It showcases a wide range of winter sports disciplines and attracts athletes from across the globe. Competitions include skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, figure skating, and more. With upcoming major sporting events like Paris 2024, Milan 2026, and the North America 2026 FIFA World Cup, effective communication becomes crucial to address the challenges that arise during these large-scale events. Ensuring efficient communication systems is essential for the successful coordination and organization of such events. 

Two-way radios, from Past to Future 

In 2022, ZTE CALTTA GH960 converged terminal played a crucial role in providing communication support during the Beijing Winter Olympics. It supported the “2+4” wide and narrow converged communication solution, which ensured seamless communication and coordination throughout the various events of the Winter Olympics.  

This was a significant milestone as it marked the first time that domestically developed trunking standards served an Olympic-level sports event. Previously, communication support for important events in Beijing relied heavily on TETRA. However, with the successful deployment of domestic systems like B-TrunC (LTE) and narrowband PDT, the communication landscape has evolved, and these systems have become the mainstream choice. This localization in the critical communication field has brought about a shift in the industry. 

Smart device develop for productivity 

One of the notable features of the GH960 is its compact and practical design. Unlike other mainstream digital cluster intercoms that are larger and bulkier, the GH960 adopts the form factor of a professional intercom, catering to the needs of frontline law enforcement officers and other professional users. It weighs only 270 grams (including battery and antenna) and measures a width of just 50mm, making it lightweight and easy to handle. 

The device also offers comfortable and convenient operation. It features a classic layout of a numeric keypad, with keys that have a moderate resistance, providing a comfortable typing experience. The PTT (Push-to-Talk) buttons on the top and bottom of the device support short and long presses for customizable functions. Additionally, the GH960 allows users to customize key operations directly on the device’s screen, eliminating the need for complex frequency writing operations. 

The GH960 is specifically designed to meet the requirements of customers in the public security sector, especially frontline police officers. The public security market in China has traditionally been dominated by foreign manufacturers such as Motorola and Nokia, who have established a strong presence with their high-quality terminal offerings. As a result, domestic terminal manufacturers face higher expectations and demands from public security users. The GH960 aims to meet these demanding requirements and provide an excellent terminal experience for public security professionals. 

 The GH960 is a lightweight and portable device, weighing only 270 grams (including battery and antenna) and measuring just 50 mm in width. Its compact design allows for easy one-handed grip, making it comfortable to carry. In comparison to other digital trunking intercoms, which typically weigh over 300 grams, the GH960 showcases CALTTA exceptional terminal design capabilities. Frontline police officers can conveniently hang the device on their shoulder, reducing the overall sense of weight. 

The GH960 features a classic numeric keyboard layout, with dimensions of 1235033mm. The compact shape allows for comfortable one-handed operation, with the thumb easily covering the keyboard area. The keys have a moderate tightness, providing a comfortable operating experience. The PPT keys on the left side require minimal effort to press, avoiding scenarios where insufficient strength leads to call failure. The PTT function keys support short and long presses, allowing for custom settings. Similarly, the long press of numeric keys enables customization, eliminating the need for tedious frequency writing operations commonly found in traditional intercoms. Key customizations can be directly performed on the terminal’s display, eliminating the need for additional devices. 

Two antennas in one 

The GH960 is equipped with an antenna that supports both the 350M narrowband band and the 1.4G LTE broadband band. To test the signal performance of the GH960, a long-distance test was conducted in a simulated public security police street patrol scenario on Jiangdong Middle Road in Hexi. Two team members rode their bikes equipped with GH960 devices, starting from the intersection of Jiangdong Middle Road and Bailongjiang Middle Street, and traveled north and south while maintaining voice intercom. Jiangdong Middle Road is a prominent thoroughfare in Nanjing’s Hexi New Town, passing through Gulou District and Jianye District. It spans approximately 6.8 kilometers with ten lanes in both directions. The road is surrounded by high-rise office buildings and commercial centers, representing the top business district of Nanjing Hexi CBD. 

Key video experience  

The GH960 intercom stands out from conventional devices by offering support for rich multimedia services. With its standard B-TrunC function, the GH960 enables users to access a range of multimedia features, including video group calls, video pull-up, and multimedia messaging. This opens up new possibilities for front-line police officers who require advanced video capabilities in their operations. Equipped with a 13-megapixel camera, the GH960 delivers high-definition video and picture capture capabilities, meeting the critical video needs of professionals in the field. 

To assess the performance of the GH960’s video and multimedia services, we conducted real-world testing using the CALTTA P300 backpack broadband trunking system. The GH960, when connected to the multimedia dispatcher, effortlessly facilitated real-time intercom, video pull-up, positioning, multimedia messaging, and other services. Overall, the GH960 demonstrated rapid video response times, high video clarity, smooth playback, and no noticeable lag. These qualities significantly enhance the real-time video capture capabilities in command scenarios and improve the accuracy of decision-making during critical operations.  

One full integrate network from hardware to software  

The GH960 is not just a simple dual-mode terminal; it offers unique capabilities that cater to the needs of public security users. It enables access to local wireless government network base stations using unique identification numbers, allowing for critical video functionality in addition to daily critical voice communication through PDT. To achieve this, CALTTA employs a core network convergence solution where the broadband private network and narrowband private network share the same hardware and software platform. This approach facilitates unified numbering, scheduling, management, and maintenance.  

Through deep integration of software and hardware, the GH960 ensures compatibility between PDT and B-TrunC systems, including identity information, interaction, encoding/decoding, encryption/decryption, and supports roaming and automatic switching between the PDT and B-TrunC networks. This unified identity allows for a wide range of service functions. 

Currently, CALTTA is the only company in the industry to provide this integrated solution. The GH960 supports dual-mode concurrency, allowing voice communication over the wide-area coverage PDT network while simultaneously enabling video transmission via the B-TrunC (LTE) broadband network. This feature greatly enhances the efficiency of command and dispatch for public security officers, as it enables a new mode of operation where they can both hear and see critical information using a single terminal. 

About Juan D. Guerra

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