TETRA network deployed at ACSA

Issue 6 2021 Transport (Industry)

The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) manages a network of nine airports in South Africa, including the three main gateways – OR Tambo International, Cape Town International and King Shaka International Airports.

In 2017, the nine airports facilitated almost 41 million passengers, which translates into a 33% growth over six years. Africa’s largest and busiest airport is OR Tambo International Airport, facilitating over 21 million passengers annually (pre-Covid-19). More than 50% of South Africa’s air travelling passengers are facilitated through the airport. Cape Town International Airport, Africa’s third largest airport, processed over 10 million passengers annually, also pre-Covid.

“The concept of ‘aerotropolis’, whereby a range of manufacturing, logistics and commercial facilities are clustered around an airport, is likely to further accelerate the core role of airports. This is particularly true for King Shaka International Airport and its associated Dube Trade Port and the drive for an aerotropolis surrounding OR Tambo International Airport,” says Wayne Fourie, sales executive, telecommunications, at Global Communications (an Elvey Group company and part of the Hudaco Group of companies).

Airports rely on communications as a crucial part of their business to ensure both passenger safety and handling processes. This resulted in a need for a TETRA system (from Rohill) to allow secure communications between departments. However, with airports being some of the most challenging environments due to their 24/7 operation, rolling out and replacing an existing network demands impeccable planning.

“During the migration to the TETRA network, gateways co-existed to prevent downtime of communications. The migration was completed without any negative impact on operations,” says Fourie.

The TETRA radio infrastructure at the airports is based on TetraNode high-end open industry standard and high-availability server platforms. These are specifically designed for carrier-grade telecommunications with excellent system performance and 99,999% availability.

“OR Tambo International Airport experienced challenges with the tunnels, basements and baggage departments. Therefore, a distributed antenna system was implemented, allowing communications to take place in areas with expected low signal,” says Fourie.

“The TETRA network has brought some positive changes to our daily operations and we have experienced minimal downtime. The network is more stable and this is critical to our daily operations as we are operating on live equipment. Areas where the network was a challenge in the past have been extended for coverage. The support has been outstanding,” says Ratau Moja, operations manager, aviation, at ACSA.

The airports collectively use 34 carriers and 12 TetraNode eXchanges with 9000 users, but with the capacity to support many more users. “All airports are operating off a fibre backbone, granting access to all sites from any airport at any given time. This allows for faster response times, less lead time for inspections and seamless upgrades from any location,” says Fourie.


Credit(s)




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

AI making South African roads safer
Asset Management Transport (Industry) AI & Data Analytics
Driver fatigue is a significant contributor to road accidents globally. While reliable statistics for South Africa are hard to come by, it has been estimated that fatigue is a factor in 25% - 30% of fatal crashes.

Read more...
Unlocking new efficiencies in private security
Security Services & Risk Management Transport (Industry) Smart Home Automation Logistics (Industry)
Justin Manson, Sales Director at Webfleet, discusses how the urgent need to protect life, and to do so more efficiently, is driving continuous innovation in holistic home and residential security services in South Africa.

Read more...
Ensuring effective communications on mines
Global Communications Mining (Industry)
In an age where effective communication serves as the cornerstone of operational success, Global Communications has several high-quality communications technology solutions tailored to meet the demanding needs of the mining sector.

Read more...
Unlocking efficiency and convenience
OPTEX Access Control & Identity Management Transport (Industry)
The OVS-02GT vehicle detection sensor is the newest member of Optex’s vehicle sensor range, also known as ‘virtual loop’, and offers reliable motion detection of cars, trucks, vans, and other motorised vehicles using microwave technology.

Read more...
SA fleets face internal and external pressures
IoT & Automation Transport (Industry) Logistics (Industry)
Thousands of trucks clog South African border points and ports, causing shipping companies to levy congestion surcharges; fleet managers must enforce safety rules, develop comprehensive training programmes focusing on early warning systems and AI-powered technology

Read more...
Fleet management systems in SA to reach 3,8 million units by 2027
Transport (Industry)
According to a research report from the IoT analyst firm, Berg Insight, the number of active fleet management systems deployed in commercial vehicle fleets in South Africa reached an estimated 2,1 million in Q4 2022.

Read more...
Simplify AARTO compliance for fleets
Guardian Eye IoT & Automation Asset Management Transport (Industry) Logistics (Industry)
While there are challenges around the management and implementation of the AARTO Amendment Act, there are also benefits that need to be understood today to ensure compliance and value tomorrow.

Read more...
From damage management to false alarm prevention
Dallmeier Electronic Southern Africa Transport (Industry) Surveillance Logistics (Industry)
Video surveillance is undergoing an exciting evolution; today’s IP-based solutions can be fully integrated into digital systems. With the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI); logistics, in particular, can make processes more transparent and exploit previously untapped potential.

Read more...
Modern warehouses come with added fire risk
Securiton Fire & Safety Transport (Industry)
Along with increased investments in modern warehousing in Africa, there is also a need to focus on protecting warehouses from crime, however, fire can arguably be a greater danger to business continuity.

Read more...
Integrated solutions for secure logistics and transport
Secutel Technologies Transport (Industry)
SMART Security Solutions asked Secutel’s GM, Andre Vermeulen, what the company offers to the logistics and transport industries to improve their security posture and protect people and assets.

Read more...