GSM-R is becoming
IP ready
Robert SARFATI
Operators’ Group Chairman
ETSI Technical Committee Rail Chairman
SYSTRA
FIRSE
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
Background: GSM-R an European choice
 In Europe, existing standard technologies were considered for the new
digital radio technology, The choice of GSM was finalized in 1995.
 GSM-R standards were developed based on GSM R99 technology and
included all railways specific requirements and an allowance of a
specific additional frequency range
 Enhanced Location Dependent Addressing
(eLDA)
 Enhanced Railway Emergency Call (eREC)
 Short Message Service to Functional Number
 Functional Numbering
 Location Dependent Addressing
 High speed – up to 500 km/h
 Voice Group Call Service (VGCS)
 Voice Broadcast Service (VBS)
 Enhanced Multi Level Precedence and Preemption (eMLPP)
 All functionalities available for GSM-R including
 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)
 Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
l Applications
Railway functional
Requirements
(EIRENE)
GSM enhancements
for railways ( ETSI EN301515) )
Standard GSM functionality
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
Functionalities ensured by GSM-R
GSM-R is a worldwide standard, developed within the frame of the
GSM ETSI standards to include Rail & Transport needs.
- It includes a dedicated radio spectrum for exclusive rail use, all
over Europe.
- It is the bearer for ETCS and Track-to-Train radio .
- It allows for evolution towards Packet Switching GPRS/EGPRS
- It includes features specific for Railways operations .
- It includes a dedicated European Frequency Band (876-880 / 921925 MHz) with extension possible within (873-915 / 918-960 MHz)
and other GSM frequency bands* such as the 1800 MHz for
worldwide application.
* As listed in ETSI TS 100 910
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
Standardization: a continuous process
GSM
Rel '99
Phase 2
1992
GPRS
EGPRS
1997
2000
3GPP/UMTS/LTE
Rel-4
2001
2002
Rel-N
Rel-12
2013
Rel '99: Release 1999
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
GSM-R
current status
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
5 Operators Group Chairman
UIC
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
From an European standard
In most of the European Countries GSM-R is in operation and
ETCS L2 roll out is relying on GSM-R:
70,000 km of track are in GSM-R operation just in Europe and
84,000 km more are planned to be covered in addition.*)
*) source: UIC e-News 311
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
To a worldwide standard
GSM-R is expanding worldwide: 138,000 km are planned to
be covered outside Europe. *
With Contracts awarded** in:








India
Turkey
Saudi//UAE/Qatar/Oman
Algeria/Libya/Morocco/Tunisia
South Africa
Australia
China
Russia/Turkmenistan
* Source: Kapsch CarrierCom, Nokia Siemens Networks - GSM-R in operation
** Source UIC and GSM-R IG
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
GSM-R
phased
evolution
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
8 Operators Group Chairman
UIC
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
From the European Legislation perspective
MoU ERTMS– A Memorandum of Understanding ERTMS was
signed between the European Commission, European Railway
Agency and the Rail Sector Organisations :
 The Parties note the commitment of the GSM-R Industry
Group members to the long-term support of GSM-R
technology, at least until 2025. Nevertheless
telecommunications systems usually have a much shorter
life cycle than signalling systems. For this reason, it should
be possible to replace the 'telecommunications part of onboard equipment without this having an impact on the
'safety critical signalling path.
 Today ETCS applications work with GSM-R circuitswitched services. It does seem possible, however, to use
packet-switch systems (e.g. GPRS) and, in the longer
term, other IP-based standards, without impacting on the
ETCS specifications.
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
9 Operators Group Chairman
UIC
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
From the European Mandates perspective
 Two Mandates were notified and endorsed
by CEN/CENELEC and ETSI.
Mandate M/483 – Mandate for
programming and standardization
addressed to the European Standardization
Organizations under Directive 2008/57/EC
in the field of the interoperability of the rail
system within the European Union.
Mandate M/486 – Mandate for
programming and standardization
addressed to the European Standardization
Bodies in the field of urban rail.
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
10
UIC
Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
Critically for Railway Operations
Step 1: Needs analysis
Narrow Band
& Mission
Critical
Applications

Red – Railway
Network supported
applications
Train Radio

Blue – Potential
Parallel networks
supported applications
ETCS
Operation and
Maintenance
Teams
Train
Maintenance
crew
applications
Broadband
Driver Look Ahead CCTV
Real time passenger video information
Mail, WEB for passengers
Bandwidth
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
Step 2: NSS and FTS Migration
ETSI TS 103 147
V1.1.1
(2013-06)
Technical Specification
ETSI TS 103 066 V1.1.2 (2012-04)
Technical Specification
Foreign
Network
Railway Telecommunications (RT);
Rel-4 Core Network requirements for GSM-R
Railway Telecommunications (RT);
GSM-R Core Network Redundancy
From R99
To R4
BICN
FTS
ETSI TS 103 389 V1.1.1 (2011-09)
 NSS:
 From R99 to BICN R4 Core
Network architecture and PS
Roaming Exchange
 NSS to FTS:
 SIP introduction at Interface,
VRS with IP interface.
 Transmission network
 IP Guideline
 IP QoS
 GPRS/EGPRS for ETCS
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
Technical Specification
BSS
Railway Telecommunications (RT);
Global System for Mobile communications (GSM);
Usage of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) on the
Network Switching Subsystem (NSS) to Fixed Terminal
Subsystem (FTS) interface for GSM Operation on Railways
Growing,
improved
applications
BSC
BTS
BICN: Bearer Independent Core
Network
PS : Packet Switching
IP: Internet Protocol
QoS: Quality of Service
SIP: Session Initiation Protocol
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
Step 3: BSS & Terminals Migration
Foreign
Network
 NSS: From R4 to R4+ Core
Network architecture and features
 NSS to FTS: SIP phase 2
introduction at Interface
 Transmission network : IP
introduction within distribution
network
 IP BSS:
 “Full IP end to end interface over
the Abis interface of BSS”
 Terminals
 Software Defined Radio
 VoIP over the Air interface
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
From R99
To R4+
features
FTS
BSS
BSC
BTS
IP: Internet Protocol
FTS: Fixed Terminal System
SIP: Session Initiation Protocol
VOIP: Voice Over IP
NSS: Network Subsystem
BSS: Bas Station Subsystem
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
Conclusion
 The analysis showed that communication technology
evolution is not complete, but the IP based technology is
the only stable platform.
 The worldwide evolution shows that GSM/UMTS is still a
long term technology for voice and preserves more than
80% of railways assets while evolving toward IP.
 The roadmap should be « railways needs evolution »
based, not « technology only » driven.
 It shall, if possible, address “all transport” needs, and if
feasible worldwide through a 3GPP type organization.
 GSMR-IP is Global, allows from the Shelves delivery,
ensures Multi-supplier environment, is Reliable, prepared
for Innovation and answers Promises.
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014
rsarfati@systra.com
www.systra.com
UIC ERTMS/GSM-R Operator’s Group
Chairman
European Telecommunications Standard
Institute Rail Telecoms Chairman
THANK YOU
Robert Sarfati – SYSTRA
UIC Operators Group Chairman
UIC ERTMS World Conference
Istanbul, 2 April 2014