FTN and GSM-R
GSM-R radio systems are being introduced across Europe under EU legislation for interoperability. In the UK, Network Rail has established a stakeholder’s board with cross industry representation to drive the UK implementation of GSM-R to replace the National Radio Network (NRN) and Cab Secure Radio (CSR) systems currently in use.
Rail Safety & Standards Board (RSSB) are revising the current train to shore radio standard GO/RT3410, and renumbering it as GE/RT8080, and developing a new standard GE/RT8081 that contains requirements that are specific to GSM-R. The Railway Group Standards are being developed to support the European Functional Requirements Specification (FRS) and should be read in conjunction with this document.
There have been two rounds of consultation on these documents, and a final round of consultation is planned for the summer of 2003, with the intention of publishing the standards in December 2003.
The Network Rail National Project for the introduction of GSM-R plans for the radio service to be live nation-wide by 2007, with the current radio systems switched off at the end of 2009.
Britain’s GSM-R network should be fully operational by 2013 at a cost of £1.2 billion. This cost though does not include the WCML. The WCML transmission equipment is Marconi and is maintained by Telent.
Read more about this topic: British Rail Telecommunications