The three broad categories in which dPMR has the capability to serve are:

(1) Consumer and short-range industrial applications
(2) Professional/Business/Operations-Critical applications
(3) Public Safety/Mission-Critical applications.

dPMR is developed in ‘tiers’ to offer a scalable communication solution that includes license-free dPMR 446 mode (in a 446.1 to 446.2 MHz band) and licensed modes subject to national frequency planning:
• Tier 1 is the low-cost, licence-exempt 'digital PMR446' defined by ETSI Technical Specification TS 102 490.
• Tier 2 is for the licensed professional market, offering peer-to-peer mode (Mode 1), repeater mode (Mode 2) and trunked (managed access) operation (Mode 3). Tier 2 is defined by ETSI Technical Specification TS 102 658.

These ‘Tiers’ are sub-divided into four functional levels:

dPMR 446:

dPMR 446 is a licence-free two-way radio communication format for use in peer-to-peer operations without base stations or repeaters in the 446 MHz UHF band. This technology is covered by the ETSI standard TS102 490.

Mode 1:

dPMR Mode 1 forms the basis for all forms of licenced PMR use and is part of the ETSI standard TS102 658.

Mode 2:

PMR Mode 2 is the licenced conventional PMR version that includes all base station and repeater functionality and allows interfaces via gateways (Telephone, IP etc.) and is part of the ETSI standard TS102 658.

Mode 3:

dPMR Mode 3 is part of the ETSI standard TS102 658 and offers managed access, multi-site trunked systems and systems where the full functionality of the protocol is available.

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dPMR™ Product Class Interoperability

To assist users in the selection of appropriate dPMR products and solutions for specific applications, the dPMR Association has introduced Product Classes to distinguish between the compatibility and capabilities of different dPMR compliant equipment. Full details can be found here, but potential users are warned that equipment offered for sale which has not been tested to the satisfaction of the dPMR Association Technical Working Group and Certified for compliance with all relevant parts of the ETSI conformance and interoperability standards for dPMR are unlikely to meet with ETSI standards or offer interoperability with compliant dPMR marked equipment in any of the dPMR Product Classes.

Promoting choice and best value

dPMR is an open standard supported by number of equipment manufacturers, specialist technology companies and software developers which promotes a dynamic competitive environment resulting in greater choice and lower costs to the end-user. The dPMR Association actively encourages the adoption of the standard and makes no charge or licensing fee for its IPR save that all equipment designed for use with the technology or carrying the dPMR mark are certified as compliant through the dPMR testing and certification programme.

dPMR, the logical and cost effective pathway from analogue to digital

All dPMR functional levels and Modes are backward compatible with legacy analogue radio systems and equipment which makes it the logical choice when evolving a radio system from analogue to digital at a pace that suits operational requirements or budget constraints. Equipment certified as compliant with dPMR will feature Analogue FM – Digital dPMR mixed mode operation either activated automatically or through user selection so seamless communication between old and new can be maintained throughout the transitional period.

Migrate from analogue MPT 1327 to dPMR with ease

For existing users of MPT 1327 based trunked radio systems, dPMR Mode 3 offers an immediate and cost-effective migration path to digital without compromising on functionality or system features.

dPMR is Feature Rich...

Contrary to what you might have heard or read, while the dPMR standard is based on using low cost and low complexity technology in a simple, rapidly deployable format; it certainly does not lack the full range of functionality demanded by today’s radio communication users in commercial, operations and mission critical applications. The table below highlights some of the advantages dPMR can bring in meeting your communications needs either through the inherent functional attributes of the technology or manufacturer specific features. To ensure you arrive at the ideal dPMR solution for your specific application, contact your reseller or system integration partner or email support@dpmr-mou.org giving an outline of what you want to achieve.