between network-operator-provided services and dedicated
private networks. Perhaps in the long term the technology
will enable a gradual melding of the two hitherto entirely
separate and clearly differentiated paradigms.
Utilities, railway operators and public safety
agencies are all looking to use mobile networks,
but require coverage in remote areas – do you
see any potential for innovative business models
that allow them to share the costs of this extra
coverage with each other and with operators?
Absolutely – one always hopes and believes that sharing
in whatever form makes sense and can be employed to the
ultimate benefit of all. That said, there are to my mind still
too many siloes of parochial interest and so on which need
to be broken down for the community as a whole to truly
reap the benefits of sharing.
I hope that breaking down barriers to sharing might
represent an increasing role for TCCA as time goes on,
acting as an entirely independent honest broker between the
various interest groups.
Which of TCCA’s recent achievements are you
most proud of?
I’m particularly proud of the results TCCA, and more
particularly a number of its members and other stakeholders
who are active in 3GPP, have achieved in getting critical
broadband features included in 3GPP standards for 4G,
and now the work that’s ongoing for 5G. TCCA has been
the nominated 3GPP Market Representation Partner
(MRP) for critical communications since 2012 and over the
ensuing seven years we’ve seen standardised features like the
MCX series (MCPTT, MCVideo and MCData) gradually
included in 3GPP releases since R13. The fact that those
and other standards relevant to critical communications are
now being implemented and demonstrated gives the sector
a wonderful platform for the long-term transition between
narrowband and broadband.
Do you foresee major turning points in the near
future for the critical communications industry?
We’re entering a critical phase in the development and
Tony Gray CV
Tony Gray is chief executive of TCCA, the global
representative body for professionals with an interest in the
provision of wireless communication services in missioncritical
or business-critical environments. He has worked in
the mobile communications industry throughout most of his
career of over 40 years to date, during which time he has
held senior engineering, management and consulting posts
throughout Europe, the Middle East and around the world,
and worked as a consultant on a wide variety of public safety
and other critical communications related projects globally.
Prior to his appointment as TCCA chief executive in
2017, Gray served as a board member and director of the
association, and was founding chairman of TCCA’s Critical
Communications Broadband Group (CCBG)
I’m particularly proud of the results
TCCA, and a number of its members
and other stakeholders, have achieved in
getting critical broadband features
included in 3GPP standards for 4G
roll-out of solutions implementing the broadband standards
such as MCX, to which I was just referring.
Deployments will need to be done in a way that
demonstrates that all the benefits of standards, such as
interoperability, economies of scale, multisourcing, etc
are retained, and so gives user organisations and operators
confidence to enter the market.
Having pioneered and operated the TETRA
interoperability certification programme throughout our
25-year existence, TCCA is now working with partners
such as GCF (Global Certification Forum) to develop and
implement a global MCX interoperability and conformance
certification regime. If we can achieve our goals I believe
this will prove to be a significant turning point in generating
confidence and hence act as a catalyst for MCX adoption
and roll-out.
What do you think the critical communications
sector will look like in 25 years’ time?
What did I say about the perils of prediction!? Basically, all
I believe I can predict with much certainty is that this sector
will always be a crucial contributor to the wellbeing and
safety of society – albeit relatively small, nonetheless a vitally
important niche among the many and growing vertical and
horizontal applications for wireless services.
One thing’s for sure: I will have hung my mobile
devices up and handed over the reins to someone
younger well before the next 25-year anniversary, but I’m
encouraged to see that there are some great young people
such as our Young Engineer of the Year, Angelene Koid,
coming through with all the commitment, enthusiasm
and capabilities to keep delivering the best possible
communications technologies to those that need and rely
on it most.
November 2019 @CritCommsToday 25