Secure Terminal Equipment
The Secure Terminal Equipment (STE, dt secure user terminal ) is since 2008 the standard telecommunications system of the U.S. government for wired or land-based ( landline ) communications. The STE was designed for operation on ISDN lines, which offer speeds of up to 128 kbit / s and are fully digitized. The greater bandwidth over analog telephone lines allows a higher voice quality and can also be used for data transmission or the transmission of faxes via a built-in RS - 232 interface. The STE was introduced to replace the older office phone STU- III as well as the tactical telephone KY -68. STE devices are compatible with STU- III- phones, but not with KY -68 devices.
The units look normal office phones in the higher price categories similar and can build unsafe calls to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The device has an insertion of a PC Card is present, in which Fortezza Plus ( KOV -14) Crypto cards or KSV -21 Enhanced Crypto Cards can be inserted. If there is a configured by the NSA card in the device, encrypted phone calls can be established to other STE devices. STE devices are (unlike STU- III units) not bound to the respective cryptographic technology - all algorithms are on the CRYPTOCard.
Newer STE devices can interact with other devices using the Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol ( SCIP ), previously Future Narrowband Digital Terminal ( FNBDT ) - for older devices, there are upgrade packs.
Models
- Office - The Office version is the most widely used version of the STE and provides voice and data connections to ISDN and analog networks.
- Tactical - The Tactical version is the version of Office like, but it can also connect to the TRI- TAC ( TRI Service Tactical ) network and has a serial EIA-530A/EIA-232 BDI (Black Digital Interface ) port.
- Data - The data version offers remote capabilities for voice, fax, data and video conferencing. This model has two EIA-530A/EIA-232 BDI ports and allows it to transmit data to multiple destinations.
- C2 - The C2 version is the Tactical version similar but has a modified software for use with the Tatcial Terminal Locking Handset
- STE -R - Similar to the Data STE, but offers the STE- remote option of dialing in the Defense Red Switch Network ( DRSN )
- VoIP - An execution for the use of IP - telephony ( Voice over IP, VoIP), available as a new model or upgrade of existing units
As of 2007 the cost of a typical STE approximately $ 3100 - this price does not contain the Crypto Card required.