Altech Fleetcall, two-way radio trunking network operator and a division of Altech Radio Holdings, has completed the first phase of its digital mobile radio (DMR) network rollout in Gauteng. The initial portion of the updated network provides DMR coverage stretching from Sasolburg to Rustenburg and from Hammanskraal to Devon.
According to Brett Nash, Managing Director of Altech Radio Holdings, the activation of the digital network is the culmination of a project that began in mid-2014. In addition to the upgrade of the network, Altech Fleetcall will also undertake a comprehensive marketing campaign over the coming months including billboard, radio, Internet and print media advertising.
“Together with Hytera, our key network and terminal hardware partner, we began the modernisation of our analogue networks some six months ago in order to offer our customers both digital and analogue services and to further address all their communication requirements,” Nash said.
“Altech Fleetcall took the strategic decision to deploy the latest Tier 3 digital radio network system using Hytera’s infrastructure to provide an overlay on our existing analogue network,” Nash added.
Altech Fleetcall is able to offer national and regional coverage at a fixed monthly subscription cost per radio per user, thereby ensuring unlimited airtime and no hidden costs.
As the only network offering a national trunking radio service, Altech Fleetcall has established, expanded and maintained its network for the past 21 years and currently operates over 170 sites nationally, providing coverage to more than 80% of the economically viable areas of South Africa.
The upgrading of the existing analogue network to digital allows a number of unique advantages including more efficient use of spectrum, added network capacity, improved voice and data quality and other features and functionality previously unavailable on the Altech Fleetcall network. Extensive network planning, support and maintenance ensured a smooth and successful migration of the analogue only network to one that supports both analogue and digital mobile radio portables and mobile devices.
“This new technology provides the company with numerous opportunities in a number of market sectors where it previously struggled to gain traction due to the limited number of features available on the legacy network. I look forward to the value of DMR being leveraged both in existing and new market verticals and I certainly hope our dealers, partners and customers manage to reap the full benefit of our investment in the future of radio telecommunications in South Africa,” Nash concluded.
