SPAIN: High speed rail infrastructure manager ADIF AV has let a contract to install FRMCS-ready telecoms equipment on the Murcia – Almería line.
The Sistemas-Kontron consortium will install the latest generation of GSM-R radio technology on the high speed line now under construction between Murcia and Almería, including the branch from Pulpí to Águilas.
Kontron says it will equip the route using technology that is ready for migration to FRMCS, the next generation of railway telecoms standards that are due to come into effect from the early 2030s. GSM-R uses legacy 2G telecoms technology that the telecoms industry regards as obsolete, and it is unlikely to be supported beyond 2030.
FRMCS will mainly use 5G mobile data networks as the radio bearer, but the standard will also facilitate the use of satellite links and public mobile networks where appropriate.
The value of the contract awarded on May 9 is €30·5m.
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