TETRA  |   DMR  |   LTE  |   P25  |  2020-06-30

Etherstack Signs Global Teaming Agreement with Samsung for 4G/5G Public Safety

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

The partnership combines Etherstack’s two decades of experience in digital LMR & Push to Talk softswitching with Samsung’s latest mobile network offerings to carriers for public safety communications used by first responder officers.

Etherstack plc has entered a global teaming agreement with Samsung Electronics to deliver next generation Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) over LTE solutions to telecommunications carriers and governments across the globe, utilising Etherstack’s digital LMR (Land Mobile Radio) softswitching technologies embedded within Samsung’s advanced network solutions.

The partnership combines Etherstack’s two decades of experience in digital LMR & Push to Talk softswitching with Samsung’s latest mobile network offerings to carriers for public safety communications used by first responder officers.

Etherstack is the world’s leading licensor of wireless technologies for the LMR industry and the Company develops wireless products for the main digital radio communications standards known as APCO P25, TETRA and DMR. Over the past 25 years, over twenty wireless equipment manufacturers have licensed LMR technologies from Etherstack for use in their products.

MCPTT over LTE is an emerging cellular standard that provides public safety grade PTT (Push-To-Talk) solutions within 4G and 5G cellular networks. Demand for MCPTT services and equipment by telecommunications carriers and end user agencies has been steadily growing in the past few years and is expected to rise rapidly over the next 36-48 months.

Samsung Networks is a pioneer in the successful delivery of 4G and 5G end-to-end networks solutions. Its advanced solutions are used by mobile carriers across the globe and Samsung continues to expand its presence in Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, United States and more.

Senior Vice President and Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics, Wonil Roh, said, “We recognised Etherstack’s unique technologies and experience in the global LMR market, so they were the obvious choice to partner with in the MCPTT market. Etherstack’s global footprint in mission critical markets and innovative technologies, as well as its commitment to open standards, will allow us to deliver premier solutions to the world’s mobile carriers for MCPTT”.

Etherstack CEO, David Deacon, said, “Etherstack has been quietly working with Samsung over the past twelve months developing secure and efficient solutions to integrate public safety networks used by first responders to next generation cellular networks. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with this global leader to solve via innovation and existing Etherstack standards-based technology the intractable interoperability problems that have plagued the LMR industry for decades. In Samsung, we have a partner committed to open standards-based solutions for the LMR industry.”