Spanish Railway Orders GSM-R Platform

Renfe (Entidad Publica Empresarial Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Espanoles) has selected Nortel Networks to build a GSM for Railways (GSM-R) wireless communications network for Spain's public rail lines in Bilbao and Santander. Nortel Networks will provide an integrated GSM-R digital radio access network to upgrade current analogue voice systems.

"Renfe operates one of the largest and most sophisticated rail lines in Europe, and we are very pleased to join them as a new provider of GSM-R network equipment," said Jordi Casamitjana, vice president and managing director, Iberia, Nortel Networks. "Our GSM-R solution increases network reliability and performance, which can help Renfe build even stronger customer loyalty while streamlining its communications network to reduce operating costs."

GSM-R provides uniform transmission of voice and data between the train conductor, the train crew and operations management groups, and between the train dispatching staff and station personnel. It can also manage operational, maintenance, motor vehicle and marshalling yard radio communications.

Nortel Networks is the world leader in GSM-R technology with more than a 60% share of kilometers of railway lines deployed to date. Nortel Networks is supplying GSM-R in Spain, France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Slovakia and China. Nortel Networks is deploying nationwide GSM-R networks in France for RFF and across the UK for Network Rail. Nortel Networks provided the end-to-end system for Deutsche Bahn's ICE high-speed line between Frankfurt and Cologne, and supplied the high-speed line between Roma and Naples in Italy for SIRTI."

Posted to the site on 23rd April 2004