San Jose, California, October 30 , 2014 - Polaris Networks, a leading provider of the Packet Core and other software solutions for LTE , and STE ETELM, a critical communications infrastructure provider, today announced the successful completion of Interoperability Testing of the Polaris’ LTE EPC product, NetEPC, and ETELM’s fully integrated LTE / TETRA System, e-TBS.

The NetEPC^™ is a compact EPC-in-a-box solution (EPC Lite) which combines all the key elements of the Evolved Packet Core – the MME, SGW and PGW, along with the HSS, PCRF, OCS and OFCS – into a single platform. The modular and distributed nature of the NetEPC, allows it to be used in different configurations on various COTS hardware to meet LTE deployment requirements of Mobile Network Operators (MNO's), Defense, Industries (Utilities, Transportation, Mining) and Public Safety (FirstNet, Municipalities).

The e-TBS is a fully converged TETRA and LTE solution, allowing single or multiple e-TBS TETRA base stations, or a complete TETRA network, to sit directly on the LTE core without the need for external gateways. e-TBS may be integrated either into a private or into a public LTE network.

The successful IOT signifies a profound step in a fully integrated approach to critical communication. The companies have successfully implemented an application to allow group calls between multiple TETRA, 4G and WiFi subscribers. The NetEPC is positioned as the core not only for LTE, but for interoperability between different telecommunications standards. This will allow customers to mix technologies over the same core network, giving them the ability to choose the technology that best suits the operational and coverage demands of each user group.

Paul Ward, Sales Director for ETELM added “The e-TBS solution on the Polaris NetEPC demonstrates the benefit of inter-operability of LTE with digital radio technologies. We have developed a solution that utilizes the advanced features of the LTE core network as a fully distributed inter system interface between LTE, TETRA and other radio technologies such as P25 and DMR. This enables the user to future-proof their investment by selecting an advanced, industry standard core network and mixing the most appropriate radio access technology for different subscriber groups. This gateway free integration enables seamless communications between different technologies using non-proprietary subscriber equipment. Additionally the technology choice is de-risked by allowing most appropriate technology to be selected based on other criteria such as spectrum, coverage, functionality and overall deployment cost. As the e-TBS connects directly to EPC in exactly the same way as an eNodeB, it also allows MNO’s and MVNO’s to deploy different radio access services over the same core network without any gateways or single points of failure”