Pro-M Professzionális Mobilrádió Zrt. (Pro-M. Zrt.) is subsidiary of Nemzeti Infokommunikációs Szolgáltató Zrt. The company was founded in 2005 by the former owner Magyar Telekom for the implementation of the Unified Digital Radio Communications System (EDR) in Hungary. The system was installed at an unprecedented speed: its Budapest and countryside networks were commissioned on April 5, 2006 and February 6, 2006 December 21, respectively. The Unified Digital Radio Communications System (EDR) is a reliable, nationwide radio communications system of high availability what was developed primarily for emergency bodies (such as police, ambulance, fire services, disaster recovery organizations). The network supports also the cooperation between law enforcement bodies and other organizations performing related task.
Pro-M Zrt.’s goal is to offer an efficient future-oriented communications solution for the EDR network users through ongoing developments and operation and guaranteeing high level of availability. Our mission is to enable the network users to efficiently serve the Hungarian citizens through improving the awareness and acceptance of EDR services.
Unified Digital Radio Communications Systems
The Unified Digital Radio Communications System (EDR) is a closed radio communications system that ensures very high availability, is to implement professional connections between various emergency and law enforcement bodies that enable faster, more efficient and secure performance of various tasks.
In Hungary Pro-M Professzionális Mobilrádió Zrt. (Pro-M Zrt.) was responsible for the construction of the EDR system. The Budapest network was delivered on April 5, 2006, then Pro-M covered the central, then the east and finally the west part of Hungary. The company completed national rollout of the network at a record speed by December 2006, one month before the fixed deadline. The nationwide network operates 270 base stations to provide the technical background for using 42,000 terminals. With the construction and putting into operation of the complete network a TETRA radio system was implemented in Hungary that has few rivals in Europe in terms of technical standard and penetration rate. Pro-M Zrt. is making efforts to preserve this excellent position with the best possible service and ensuring smooth operation of the system.
The exchanges, base stations and hand-held and mobile terminals needed for the construction of the system were delivered by EADS Secure Networks, and further tenders were invited to select other vendors.
A radio communications system with TETRA technology has numerous advantages over the old analog system. EDR that was constructed according to the TETRA standard significantly improves internal communication of the concerned bodies, enables efficient communication between the bodies with very high availability to greatly contribute to enhanced response capability and improved efficiency of cooperation. EDR ensures automatic protection of information carried over the radio system. Not only quality but also security of communication will reach a much higher standard with further encryption procedures applied in addition to the basic encryption. As a result of using a wider frequency band and more up-to-date network devices the network ensures nationwide coverage, even in areas which were so far difficult to cover (e.g. in metro lines, tunnels). The terminals are capable of carrying in addition to voice also data and short status messages made simpler and more useful by a programming possibility.
TETRA Technology
EDR is constructed in Hungary with TETRA technology. TETRA is the acronym for a mobile telecommunications system designed for professional use called Terrestrial Trunked Radio. TETRA is a unique combination of group communication services, mobile telephony, message sending and mobile data services available from a single radio unit. About 650 such systems are operating worldwide. This radio system standard is a European Union recommendation, so it is capable of supporting also cooperation between the law enforcement bodies of the countries which joined the Schengen Agreement.
