The Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), an advanced communications standard meant to replace the currently used GSM-R system, may soon be on its way to Poland.
Transportation solutions company Alstom, telecoms giant Ericsson, NetWorkS!, the largest provider of radio access network solutions in Poland, and the Polish Railway Institute, which conducts scientific and R&D activities for railway transport, have signed a letter of intent regarding the implementation and testing of FRMCS in Poland.
The main goal of FRMCS is to increase the capacity of existing railway networks and optimise their costs of operation. It has been designed by the International Union of Railways, in cooperation with key representatives of the railway sector, and, it is claimed, represents an important step towards the full digitalisation of rail transport.
As part of the newly announced cooperation, the signatories of the letter of intent will engage in joint research and development projects, verify requirements and solutions in actual railway conditions, and create and develop training models and certifications for the FRMCS system.
Specifically, Alstom will provide a modern control subsystem for vehicles; Ericsson will provide a radio telecommunications network for the FRMCS pilot implementation; and NetWorkS! will provide competences in telecommunications solutions for the railway sector, as well as the construction and maintenance of the FRMCS test network. The Polish Railway Institute will provide the necessary research infrastructure where the FRMCS system will be tested.
