When Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso crossed the finish line to take the lead in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship at October’s inaugural Korean Grand Prix, TETRA technology was at work behind the scenes, enabling the organisers to remain in control of the situation throughout the action-packed race.

Formula 1 is a multi-billion euro business and one of the world’s most distinctive sporting brands, continually expanding its horizons by adding new markets and new tracks to its calendar.

Latest of these is the new Korean International Circuit near the port of Mokpo. Part permanent and part temporary, the 5·6 km circuit includes a spectacular temporary section running alongside the harbour. Its construction began in 2009 and the first practice race took place on September 4.

To provide a secure communications system for the circuit, SK Telecom – the country’s largest mobile communications service provider – called in the Spanish TETRA specialist Teltronic. The solution Teltronic has provided is based on its Nebula ethernet/IP TETRA technology, with mobile and hand-held terminals for use by the event organizers and emergency services. 

During the Sunday’s sometimes chaotic scenes as rain fell before and during the race, the safety car was deployed and a number of cars crashed and had to be removed from the circuit. But the communications operations ran smoothly throughout, Teltronic reports.

Securing the G-20 summit

Another TETRA installation operating in Korea is a public safety network supplied by Teltronic to Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency (IMPA) in 2006. Since its inception, this network has demonstrated the value to users of a multi-vendor environment by operating with TETRA radio terminals from several manufacturers.

Following an announcement earlier in the year that the city of Incheon would host a G-20 heads of state meeting in November 2010, the Police Agency requested a number of network upgrades and improvements from Teltronic. These were completed in time for the meeting. 

The multi-site Nebula network uses Teltronic mobile units and Sepura handhelds.