Telecom Mini-seminar "Rail Communication": Evolution from GSM-R to FRMCS

When:

11 September 2024

19:30 Hour - 21:00 Hour

Location:Online | MS Teams

Event organizer:Telecommunications

Pricing KIVI leden:Free

Pricing Overige:€10,00

Within railways, GSM-R provides communication between railway staff (driver, conductor, dispatcher, shunting staff, etc.).

GSM-R is a variant of traditional GSM. GSM-R is part of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). GSM-R has been operational across the entire Dutch rail network since 2004. GSM-R is used by all rail users, including NS. The GSM-R network is managed, in the Netherlands, by ProRail.

In 2014, work began on the development of the Future Rail Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) standard, which will be the successor to GSM-R. The FRMCS standard is being developed by the International Union of Railways (UIC).

FRMCS will be based on the 5G standard. FRMCS will be commissioned between 2030 and 2035. The Netherlands plays an important role in the development and implementation of the FRMCS standard.

In this online mini-seminar, two industry experts explained the technology behind the GSM-R network, its practical application and the evolution towards FRMCS.

Recording webinar "Evolution to FRMCS" dated 11-09-2024

Speaker 1

Jos Nooijen (Prorail)

Title: Evolution or revolution (from GSM-R to FRMCS)

In the next decade, the communication standard GSM-R will be replaced by FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System). Jos Nooijen (ICT Architect) takes you through the developments of FRMCS within ProRail and beyond.

Jos will discuss the standardisation of FRMCS, migration scenarios and concrete projects in the pipeline for FRMCS.

Jos Nooijen works as ICT Architect at ProRail, where he focuses on the development and implementation of mission critical mobile communication systems for the railways. He is responsible for the architecture of GSM-R (enhanced GPRS) within ERTMS and is involved in the standardisation of FRMCS, a 5G-based communication technology for railways (and successor to GSM-R). As an architect, Jos is also involved in a European consortium working on the validation of the FRMCS standard (project MORANE), through a pilot project in the Netherlands.

Speaker 2

Bart Sigger (NS)

Title: What does migration to FRMCS mean for a carrier?

The current 2G-based railway telecoms network (GSM-R) is heading towards the end of its lifespan and will be replaced by a 5G-based network (FRMCS). For carriers, this means a huge task, as all equipment has to be converted to a dual system to bridge the transition period. Thereby, FRMCS still has many choices and uncertainties, creating a time-squeeze.

In this seminar, Bart Sigger explains what FRMCS means for NS and how NS is preparing for it.

Bart Sigger works as 'rail system of the future' programme manager at NS. In this role, he is responsible for the migration to new railway technologies, including the European safety system (ERTMS), self-propelled trains (ATO) and the edge telecoms (FRMCS). Bart trained as a civil engineer in Delft, and previously worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and as a tender strategist at BAM InfraConsult. Since 2018, he has been working at NS, in the Asset Strategy department.

Moderator

Rogier Noldus (Ericsson)

Rogier Noldus works as principal solution architect at Ericsson, developing architecture for (mobile) communication systems. He participated in the creation of the mobile network standard (2G, 3G, 4G), specialising in Intelligent Networks. In addition, Rogier specialised in multimedia communication systems (IMS, VoLTE) and the evolution towards the 5G network. Rogier is also a part-time lecturer at TU Delft.

Rogier holds an MSc (Elecrical Engineering) from the University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Prior to Ericsson, Rogier worked at Siemens, Telkor and Telephone Manufacturers (in South Africa).