Railway input to UK Spectrum Policy Forum

Trevor Foulkes M.A., C.Eng., FIRSE, FIETHead of CCS Eng, HS2 Ltd

Items covered

• Current Position• Anticipated Changes• European Initiatives

Current Position

• Until a few years ago the main line railways used the following systems:

• National Radio Network (~200MHz)• Cab Secure Radio (~450MHz)• Radio Electronic Block (~200MHz)• Local UHF spot schemes• GSM-R mandated and in use on some lines

(~900MHz)

Current Position

• GSM-R installed on all GB Lines• Operational mainly for voice• Used for in-cab signalling (ETCS) on Cambrian

Line• NRN system turned off in South• Train fitment continues. When complete NRN

& CSR will be turned off.

UK Cab Radio Driver Interface

Anticipated Changes (Need)

• More lines use in cab signalling (ETCS)• Passenger wifi and comms improvement• More machine to machine communications• Smarter systems and more data• Increasing resilience on radio communications• New lines e.g. HS2

More communication to trains

Anticipated Changes (Technology)

• Need for better radio bricks• Better co-ordination over GSM-R band• GSM-R will become life expired

10

European Initiatives• Very early stages at looking at successor to

GSM-R• Applications have longer life than bearer

network – some mandated by European Law• Exploring if different bearer systems on different

lines• No firm commercial or operation model defined• Solution will have to consider mission criticality

of radio bearer for ETCS

Split of Bearer and Application

12

Railway Operations

Radio Bearer

Applications

Communications Services

Bearer Independent requirements