Source: Critical Communications Review | Edited by Gert Jan Wolf

China Radio interviewed Jiang Long, CEO of Caltta Technologies, to understand how they entered the industrial market.

Although telecom companies are actively bringing their 4G LTE and 5G solutions to industrial sectors outside the traditional customer base, mainly mobile network operators, PMR manufacturers have been expanding their LTE capacity products. The combination of differences in technical strength, customer base, and value propositions has resulted in different vendors adopting different strategies. China Radio interviewed Jiang Long, CEO of Caltta Technologies, to understand how they entered the industrial market.

China Radio: In the past 3 to 5 years, while PMR vendors began to launch broadband products, the penetration rate of LTE solutions from telecom vendors in enterprises and industries has continued to increase. What is Caltta's strategy to navigate the competition?

Caltta CEO Jiang Long: From the perspective of the technological development trend of private networks, the evolution from narrowband to broadband is straightforward. From the first-generation analog trunking MPT1327, the second-generation PDT/DMR/P25/TETRA, the third-generation GoTa, to the current fourth-generation LTE-based and future 5G-based trunking, the private network will have more and richer services , Greater capacity, better performance. However, we also believe that the advantages and applicable scenarios of narrowband are recognized. Narrowband and broadband will coexist, and CLP has launched a "24" narrowband and broadband convergence solution. Formulate a "full integration" strategy to integrate various links such as terminals, networks, services, and industrial ecology. We embrace an open ecosystem. We provide chip modules; we open terminal applications, our network interfaces, converged communication platforms, etc., and build a prosperous private network ecological chain with our partners to create maximum value for customers.

In terms of terminals, we have dual-mode and three-mode terminals, especially our GH900 flagship walkie-talkie, which is known as the industry's first three-mode terminal. It supports DMR, LTE (B-TrunC) and PoC, and can be connected to the network anytime and anywhere to ensure signal blind spots.

In terms of infrastructure, our systems are all based on the SDR software-defined radio platform, which supports the smooth evolution from narrowband to broadband and protects early-stage investment. Our core network is a convergence of broadband and narrowband. A core network can simultaneously access narrowband base stations and broadband base stations to achieve unified network management and unified scheduling.

In terms of services, our customers often have multiple heterogeneous networks, multiple communication methods, and different service platforms, just like separate information islands. Data is not easy to flow, and coordination is difficult to achieve. In response to these pain points, we used the advantages of professional communication manufacturers to launch the integrated dispatch system iDS. The system supports low-level communication methods through various intelligent gateways, and then abstracts a unified support layer to provide middleware service engines such as voice, video, messaging, and location, and provides unified and standardized capability interaction interfaces and standardized data interaction interfaces for upper-level applications. Through such a converged communication platform, upper-level applications can easily and uniformly obtain the dispatching capabilities of all communication means, and truly realize an integrated, flat, visual, intelligent, and mobile command and dispatch system. Based on this integrated scheduling platform, we are also trying to combine more new technologies and new services, including big data, artificial intelligence, AR/VR, etc. It is an open platform, and we hope to provide customers with our partners Has more valuable applications.

China Radio: Especially in terms of 5G, does Caltta have any plans to go public? Does Caltta focus on a certain part of 5G or take a one-stop approach?

Garda CEO Jiang Long: Garda has been committed to actively promoting the privatization of 5G for industrial users. Communication technology is changing with each passing day. As the latest generation of cellular mobile communication technology, 5G is also an extension of the 4G standard. The goal is to further increase the data rate, reduce latency, save energy, reduce costs, and increase the system capacity for large-scale device connections. At present, there are more than 100 million 5G users worldwide, mainly for enhanced broadband services. The promotion of ultra-high reliability, low-latency services and mass machine communication standard technologies and applications will take time. 5G is still in the stage of commercial exploration, technology research and early application in various vertical industries such as industrial Internet, smart campus, police, transportation, logistics, energy, manufacturing, education, medical care, media, tourism, and environmental protection.

So far, China's National Radio Commission has not allocated 5G spectrum for private networks. Therefore, 5G industry applications based on operator networks, whether using network sharing, network slicing technology, or virtual private networks, are not strictly 5G private networks. For example, some industries hope to obtain all control rights, high reliability, security and privacy of 5G networks. Public networks cannot fully meet these specific needs; 5G networks have three scenarios: eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC. But in many cases, a specific industry does not necessarily need all these functions at the same time, but requires more mission-critical communications; in addition, the PMR industry has a lot of service customization, and the needs of different industries are different. To some extent, PMR is more customizable than MNO-based private networks.

In response to the actual situation, Galta worked in two aspects. On the one hand, Qatar is based on the operator’s network to provide industry users with a convenient way to obtain 5G service capabilities under the premise of ensuring high reliability and security; on the other hand, it accelerates the formulation and development of 5G cluster standard technology to promote B -The evolution and integration of wireless private network technologies in industries such as TrunC, LTE-M, and LTE-G.

We provide 5G miniaturized core network for the industry. On the one hand, industry users can share 5G base stations built by operators, and at the same time build a compact 5G core network with physical isolation, independent management, and high security levels to form a complete SA architecture 5G network. , Save wireless network investment. On the other hand, compared to the carrier-level large-scale 5G core network, the industry-specific miniaturized core network is more suitable for 5G private network construction, supporting industry customized development and rapid application deployment.

The macro base station provides coverage of cities, campuses and traffic routes. For scenes with complex reflections and diffractions such as high-rise buildings, a large number of users requires good business continuity and large traffic. 64TR/32TR base station, with large capacity and strong coverage, is the best choice; it provides the best capital expenditure. QCell provides coverage for indoor areas such as buildings, basements, and tunnels. The traditional DAS system cannot support 5G due to the limitation of frequency band and MIMO. Caltta's QCell indoor coverage solution is flexible to deploy and easy to install. The Pad base station achieves zero area coverage of parks/factories/streets/hot spots, deployment on demand, large capacity, and deep coverage. Caltta actively participates in China's 5G cluster technology research and standard formulation. 5G trunking supports professional wireless trunking services, including critical voice, critical video, and critical data services to meet the daily safety production, work scheduling and emergency command requirements of the government, public security, public utilities, transportation, energy and other industries.

China Radio: Will Caltta continue to invest in LMR? Are there any new products launched recently?

Caltta CEO Jiang Long: Yes, we have been investing in the LMR product portfolio and constantly launching new products. Caltta inherits the technical advantages of the former parent company ZTE Corporation. It never blindly pursues scale, but aims to innovate. From the pioneering launch of the "Broad and Narrowband Convergence Solution" to the comprehensive promotion of the "Full Convergence Platform", Garda has always insisted on the supremacy of technological innovation. While continuously expanding market influence and market share, Garda is working hard to promote the development of the private network market. Caltta's PDT system products and B-TrunC system products are blooming everywhere in the domestic PMR market. From the municipal network to the provincial network, the products are constantly updated and upgraded. In 2018, our PDT base station ZXSDR BS8700 won the first prize of product innovation issued by the PDT Association. Two or three years after Caltta ZXSDR BS8700 went on the market, traditional PMR manufacturers have followed up and launched their own SDR multi-carrier products. Caltta tracks and develops cutting-edge technologies, and invests no less than 8% of its total revenue each year in R&D and innovation.

Caltta's new end products are innovative. Our eChat PoC product portfolio has introduced two new models, e690 and e600. These two professional-grade walkie-talkies not only support MNO's phone and SMS services, but also support eChat PTT calls. The feature-rich walkie-talkie is equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC, supports SOS emergency alarm, down alarm, IP68 protection and other security functions, setting a professional benchmark in the PoC market. GH860 broadband public and private dual-mode radio, professional B-TrunC trunking, rich multimedia services, lightweight and sturdy design, low temperature resistance, widely used in the 2021 Beijing Winter Olympics test competition, highly recognized by users.

China Radio: Recently there was news about the emergency communication system used in the earthquake-stricken area. What role does Caltta play in the spread of PPDR in China?

Catalda CEO Jiang Long: As a pioneer in the field of emergency communications, Catalda is committed to providing comprehensive solutions for platforms, systems, terminals and a full set of mission services for the field of emergency communications, including vehicle-mounted PDT/LTE base stations, portable/backpack LTE emergency command systems , Broadband Mesh Ad Hoc backpack system, narrowband SmartLink Ad Hoc repeater and other series of system products. Multi-mode terminals, multi-access equipment, rapid deployment of the system, to achieve wireless communication coverage in the frontline emergency area, connect to the remote command center, and ensure the unimpeded flow of disaster information, alarms, and command and dispatch.

When disasters and accidents happen, time is life. We have accumulated rich experience in emergency response, technical demonstration, and emergency network construction, and have achieved many results in the field of emergency communications. We are a first-class equipment supplier for portable LTE emergency command systems, mesh Ad Hoc networks and multi-mode terminals. Emergency communication vehicles are mainly used for coverage guarantee, temporary expansion and emergency communication guarantee. In areas that cannot be reached by vehicles, a backpack system is adopted. The base station is carried by a single person, is small in size, and has a built-in large-capacity battery.

The Caltta emergency communication system provides multiple services such as voice, video, SMS, positioning, etc., so that the command center can not only "hear" but also "see". Therefore, the command center can better carry out disaster relief arrangements and on-site decision-making. The emergency line and the command center can be interconnected through various transmission methods such as satellite, microwave, public network, and Mesh.

Recently, Garda launched its self-developed DMR SmartLink self-organizing solution, including fixed self-organizing base station SmartLink580, portable self-organizing repeater SmartLink600 and portable self-organizing gateway SmartLink650 designed for police and emergency communications. Abundant product forms provide users with multiple choices to establish emergency networks in different scenarios. The SmartLink solution has been successfully applied to earthquake rescue in Qinghai, Yunnan Province, China, emergency rescue drills in Sichuan, and Asian elephant monitoring and protection.

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