Kapsch CarrierCom has been awarded the contract for the deployment of a GSM-R network (Global System for Mobile Communications-Railway) from the Spanish Railway Administrative Authority Adif (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias) for the 88 km High-Speed Line in the northwest of Spain. The order also includes the maintenance of the system over the next three years.

Adif, responsible for managing the entire national railway infrastructure, will invest more than EUR 15.7M in this project.

"The largest European railway operators in Germany, France and in the UK rely on our extensive experience and our comprehensive GSM-R expertise. In Spain, Adif has selected us as a partner to continue the modernisation of the national train radio network. This project is the beginning of a long-term partnership. Comprehensive extensions of the Spanish GSM-R train radio network are scheduled in the coming years," says Michel Clement, Kapsch CarrierCom’s Vice President of GSM-R.

The project includes the deployment of a turnkey GSM-R access network and the infrastructure for public mobile operators (GSM and UMTS) on the Galician High Speed Line from Ourense to Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia (88 km). Extensions of this High Speed Corridor are planned and the network shall be expanded to Olmedo, which is already connected to Madrid. The Ourense to Santiago de Compostela High Speed Corridor is also planned to be connected with Porto in the north of Portugal along the Vigo international axis.

GSM-R enables borderless communication
GSM-R revolutionises international railway traffic. With the inter-connection of the European GSM-R networks and using the internationally standardised end-user terminals, cross-border communication using the same equipment is possible for international trains.  In the past, trains had to be equipped with various wireless communication systems depending on the routing. Individual railway specific operating procedures also complicated the communication. GSM-R considerably increases the competitiveness of rail traffic compared to road traffic. 79,300 km of rail have already been equipped with GSM-R in Europe, thereof 65,800 km are already in operation. In total 150,650 km of rail are planned to be equipped with digital wireless train communication in the coming years. “With a market share of 52% of the GSM-R worldwide market, measured in kilometers of railway tracks covered by GSM-R railway infrastructure, Kapsch CarrierCom is the number one supplier worldwide. With our long term experience, outstanding technology and a strong customer focus we are primed to strengthen our position as the GSM-R market leader over the next few years”, adds Michel Clement.