A need for updated comms
With significant growth, the company requested the development of a DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) communications system. This was the latest step in a major programme to bring the company’s information technology infrastructure up to date, and to meet the air transport demands of a booming region.
The decision of using DMR Radio and Hytera came after the airline’s team spent one and a half years evaluating various radio options and vendors. “We opted to go for, first of all, an open standard”, Mr Alsaggaf from the IT department at Saudia says.
“Secondly, we wanted something that fits the purpose of Saudia and our affairs. Plus, we need something that is cost-efficient and will serve us for the long term, having the capabilities to integrate with our business process and back-end applications."
Supporting Saudia
Through the new radio system, made from a converged network that securely carries data, voice and video, the radios serve Saudia’s 4 international airports and interconnect with more than 500 Saudi Arabian Airlines offices in 60 countries.
With over 4,000 handhelds, mobiles and base stations plus full indoor coverage solution, it would provide instant communications for companies in the Saudi Arabian Airlines group, their strategic business units and affiliates. Most importantly, it would support staff on the ground in their task of moving passengers, baggage and cargo shipments onto and off Saudia aircraft, and speeding their movement through the terminals.
“We are counting on this project as a means to improve our operational excellence and also to add significant cost-efficiency into our infrastructure. It’s part of our IT master plan to modernise everything.”
Abdullah Alsaggaf – IT department
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia)
Values brought by Hytera solution
Hytera proposed the full DMR Trunking solution for Saudia, to upgrade the current analogue trunking system, with following advantages:
- Digital system increases the frequency efficiency required by the government and customer.
- Both indoor and outdoor solutions for airport coverage.
- No single-point-of-failure solution with redundancy for each core component.
- Customer integration solution between the DMR Trunking system and other communication systems used by the customer.
- Customisation for Saudia in terms of product feature and design.
Key features of the Hytera solution for Saudia
- Multiple-level redundancy design
- Superior audio performance
- Doubling of capacity in existing licensed channels
- Efficient use of infrastructure equipment, longer battery life and greater power efficiency for our handheld terminals
- System flexibility through simultaneous use of TDMA channels and advanced control features
- Backwards spectrum compatibility with legacy systems
- Security of supply through a fully open, well-established, widely backed standard
“We are greatly impressed by Hytera’s commitment and its corporate culture. This includes a willingness on Hytera’s part to build significant change into its product in response to suggestions made by the airline’s team.”
Abdullah Alsaggaf – IT department
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia)
