Railways move towards new 5G technology for ground-to-train communications
Italia has what it takes to lead the way in Europe with the ‘FRMCs’ system
The spotlight is on next-generation railway communications. In particular, on the transition to FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System), the new digital communications standard based on 5G technology set to replace the old GSM-R system on European railways. This represents a strategic shift for the railway system, involving infrastructure, on-board technologies and operational processes, and requiring substantial investment and close coordination between railway companies, network operators, institutions and industry. Italia is at the forefront of this process and is setting an example for the rest of Europe. This is according to Andrea Bricchi, CEO of Brian and Partners. We are not talking about 5G on smartphones, but about the communication system between the ground and the train, which involves voice and data for safety and services related to rail transport, such as signalling.
The management consultancy firm, in collaboration with Cifi Napoli (the Association of Italian Railway Engineers), will organise a new conference on next-generation railway communications on 4 November at the Pietrarsa Railway Museum (Naples), following on from last year’s inaugural event.
The event will bring together the FS Group, RFI and Trenitalia, along with the sector’s leading industrial partners, including Leonardo, Frequentis, Ericsson, Nokia, Funkwerk, Hitachi and Alstom. The aim is to advance the discussion on migration, linking the needs of those who manage networks and trains on a daily basis with the solutions offered by those who develop new technologies.
Bricchi explains: “The transition to the new systems must take place whilst ensuring the day-to-day operation of the networks and trains, during a long phase of coexistence between current and future technologies. The transition requires a common and shared direction. And it needs countries capable of helping to chart that course. Italia stands ready to make an innovative contribution, focusing on a vision open to all options – that is, to every possible network architecture for the FRMCs: a proprietary network where necessary, a shared network where it makes sense.”
The migration must proceed in a coordinated manner with the development of the ETCS, the European Train Control System. Part of this process is the trial project on the San Donato circuit in Bologna, scheduled for 2027, which will also involve the use of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The aim is to put the Italian trial at the service of the European programme.
