Maintaining a focus on messaging is the French company TPL Systèmes, which has built on its experience in Tetrapol/Pocsag pagers for France’s emergency services to create a brand-new TETRA version of its Birdy pager.

“Birdy TETRA includes a TETRA module, GPRS, GPS, and accelerometers for lone worker, man-down and battery life”, said David Villacastain. ‘Resting’ the GPS unit, he explained, can reduce battery consumption when the user is merely inactive rather than in trouble. “Each minute, for example, the pager checks the new GPS position. When you are asleep and the pager is on the table, it’s not necessary to check the new position every time, because it’s the same!”

Besides the TETRA module, a Motorola TOM100, the unit also embodies a GPRS module to provide an alternative communication path. As an application example, M. Villacastain suggests a hospital served by an on-site TETRA system: “When the doctor goes out of the hospital, they don’t have TETRA coverage, but it’s possible to receive or send a message by the GPRS with no break in coverage”, he says.

It is left to the user organization to choose the priority – whether the pager tries TETRA first or GPRS first.