Expanding international sales of Private Radio Systems Utilizing Private LTE/5G. Targeting Public Safety: Police, Fire & EMS Departments

Japan Radio Co., Ltd.,(JRC) and Icom Inc.(Icom) will collaborate on overseas sales of transceiver systems utilizing private LTE, leveraging the strengths of both Icom, which is strong in IP transceivers, and JRC, which is strong in building private LTE systems, to create a private network communication system. Sales will be conducted through Icom's three overseas subsidiaries (North America, Europe, and Australia).

Overview

This is the first time in the industry (according to the research of both companies) that two major Japanese wireless equipment companies have collaborated to promote business activities in the overseas market of private LTE. 
In the public safety field, such as police and firefighting, and in the industrial field, such as mining, electric power, and railroads, the transition to the next-generation communication standards, LTE and 5G, is progressing in order to build high-speed, secure, and specialized networks. With even higher communication capabilities, 5G is expected to be used for new services and applications in a wide range of fields, such as automobiles, healthcare, and smart cities.

With the current trend toward DX, such as video transmission and advanced computer technology (AI, VR, IoT), and the growing demand for LTE/5G high-speed wireless communications, JRC's base station and network technology and Icom's user device and communication application technology can be integrated to provide a total solution that includes terminals, infrastructure, applications, and services.

By combining the strengths of both companies and their global sales channels, JRC and Icom will be able to provide solutions that address the various challenges faced by customers in the global public safety and industrial sectors and flexibly respond to their diverse needs.

Going forward, JRC and Icom will continue to enhance their technologies to provide advanced, unique, and highly reliable private wireless networks. Working together, we aim for further growth and to lead the global market.

Demonstrations of the solutions to be provided will be exhibited at the Icom America booth and the JRC booth at the IWCE (International Wireless Communications Expo) to be held in Florida, USA from March 25 to 28.

About Private LTE

Private LTE is a specialized wireless network system that is independent of the public network, using the LTE wireless communication standard used in cell phones and other devices. It provides high communication quality, safety and reliability.
For example, it is used for communications in public safety fields such as police and firefighting, factories, and construction sites, and in environments where radio waves from the public network cannot reach, such as mountainous areas and at sea.

About IP Transceivers

IP transceivers can operate over a wide area by enabling the features of conventional transceiver communications, which can contact multiple persons simultaneously with a simple push of a single button, to be used not only in private LTE but also in LTE public networks. It is becoming increasingly popular both in Japan and overseas.

About the system to be cooperated this time

The system consists of Icom's IP503H LITE IP transceiver terminal and JRC's private LTE system Tactical LTE Box JRL-174, among others. Icom has been manufacturing IP transceivers utilizing LTE carrier lines (public network) since 2018; combining this with JRC's private LTE system enables us to provide a private LTE transceiver system. In addition, as a sales channel, we will utilize Icom's sales network, which has sales offices in eight overseas locations (the United States, Germany, Spain, Australia, Canada, Brazil, China, and Vietnam) and generates 70% of its sales in overseas markets. This will further strengthen the sales of private LTE systems overseas.

[Roles of each company]
　Icom Inc.
　　- Supply of IP503H LITE, a terminal (transceiver) for private LTE systems
　　- Sales activities at Icom's overseas subsidiaries and sales agents
　Japan Radio Co., Ltd. (JRC)
　　- Supply of private LTE systems

Message from the Managers of Both Companies

Mr. Katsuhiko Sato, General Manager, 5G Project Office, Japan Radio Co., Ltd.(JRC), said, “Our private LTE portable base stations have been highly evaluated by customers in the safety and security field worldwide. Combined with Icom's private LTE transceiver terminals, we will be able to enhance our competitiveness and provide more valuable products and services to further meet the needs of our customers. We will be able to expand our business opportunities and create new markets not only in the global private LTE arena, but also in the local 5G arena.”

Mr. Shinya Terasaki, General Manager of Overseas Sales Department of Icom Inc. also expressed his expectations as follows.
"We believe that cooperation with JRC in the private radio field will further expand our business opportunities. Our knowledge of transceiver operability and robustness, which we have accumulated over the years, has been applied to this new model. Although it is a legacy communication tool, we believe that the superiority of the transceiver, which can instantly contact multiple people with the push of a button, will surely be demonstrated in markets that require private LTE. We also manufacture 5G-related commercial products, and we are looking to collaborate in this area in the future."

Related Information

• News（18 March 2024）
  Exhibition Information : IWCE 2024
  
  
• JRC Private 5G Solutions Web Site
  
  

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