FCC approves Smart Route base station

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Smart Route’s Thunder, an eight carrier TETRA base station, for operation at 450-470 MHZ.

Picture credit: Adobe Stock/Neal

Discussing the technology itself - and the FCC decision - a spokesperson for the company said: “[The approval] highlights Thunder’s compliance and readiness for deployment in mission-critical communication environments.

“Designed with a modular architecture, Thunder provides the flexibility to scale from a single carrier to eight, catering to diverse operational requirements, ranging from routine deployments to complex emergency scenarios.

“Its compact and durable design ensures it can be rapidly deployed. This offers reliable communication infrastructure in demanding conditions such as disaster recovery, defense operations, and public events.”

According to Smart Route, a key feature of the device is its cognitive radio technology, which “intelligently optimises spectrum usage to maintain consistent and high-quality communication, even in challenging or congested environments.” 

This is supported by self-organising network (SON) functionality, which is, according to the company, designed to "simplify deployment by automating configuration and optimisation processes, reducing the time and resources needed for setup.”

The spokesperson continued: “Further enhancing its adaptability, Thunder incorporates Inter-System Interface [ISI] and satellite communication capabilities. These allow it to seamlessly integrate with command centers for centralised coordination, or function independently as a stand-alone unit, ensuring continuous and adaptable communication solutions across a range of scenarios.

“Thunder’s FCC certification underscores its alignment with industry standards and its readiness to support mission-critical operations. Its design reflects a commitment to meeting the evolving needs of industries that require scalable, dependable, and flexible communication infrastructure.”