State-owned Kordia, which is chasing the 100,000-strong radio telephone market, is defending its choice to partner with US giant Motorola. Christchurch’s Tait says its technology would have been a better choice for Kordia’s new digital radio network, which was not put out for tender.

Last week, Kordia launched a digital radio network, dubbed KorKor, which supports souped-up radio telephones (RTs) that support two-way calls, calls to regular phones, and location-based GPS mapping services. These are not your father’s walkie talkies.

Kordia chief executive Geoff Hunt sees an addressable market of between 60,000 and 100,000 customers for the new service – based on the number of service workers, emergency personal, tradesman, security guards and the like using older analogue radio telephones today.

The new network was built using Motorola gear, and has been launched with two Motorola digital radios – one hand-held, one for vehicles. Both cost $1640, and are tied to either a $45 or $75 monthly KorKor plan.

Christchurch-based Tait Electronics is not taking Kordia’s decision to go with Motorola RTs lying down.

NBR’s initial story saw Kordia and Tait employees spar in the Comments section.

Now both companies have formally elaborated on their positions.

The crux of the argument is that Motorola’s RTs are based on the “Tetra” technology standard, while Tait’s gear is built to a rival standard, P25.

“This Tetra digital standard (originally from Europe) is totally incompatible with the P25 digital standard (originally from the US). This prevents radio users communicating with each other: for example a bus company, which needs to work with public safety officials during an emergency, would not be able to collaborate if they opted for a Tetra solution,” says Brett Smythe, Regional General Manager for Tait Asia Pacific .

The New Zealand Police are among several government departments that have already chosen P25-based gear, My Smythe says, following the lead of the Electronic Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) Management Committee, a body that recommends digital technology solutions.

The US Department of Homeland Security has embraced the P25 standard, helping Tait to land police force RT contracts in that country.

P25 has also been adopted by New Zealand start-up Team Talk, which is building a new mobile radio network alongside its fibre business.

“Digital standards such as Tetra and P25 are NOT compatible with each other, so they represent important long-term strategic choices for any network operator or government department. This is especially important when taxpayers' money is at stake,” says Mr Smythe.

Kordia business manager Aaron Olphert responds: “Kordia is not building an alternative to the Emergency Services network. Kordia is targeting commercial operators.”

Mr Olphert says Kordia is aware that some emergency services and government departments in New Zealand have chosen P25-based gear, but contends features such as smaller, lighter handsets, GPS and two-way digital are making Tetra “the dominant standard in Europe and Asia Pacific for government, private and commercial networks.”

The business manager says Tait’s hypothetical bus driver in distress might be on an RT that’s immediately incompatible with Tetra (or P25), but that it’s common for emergency services in most countries to have gear working on multiple standards, Mr Olphert says, with back-end software and systems patching calls between them.

Kordia comms manager Emma Morrison also points out that the Tetra-based Motorola RT’s on its KorKor network can also be used to text or call a cellphone, or to call a landline, while a distress button - via voice and GPS - can alert every user on your RT network to your condition and exact location.