Nortel, TCIL to Launch GSM for Railway

Eastern Railway, one of India's major railways, has issued a formal 'Letter of Award' to Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL) selecting Nortel Networks as the sole provider of a GSM for Railways (GSM-R) digital wireless network.

TCIL, a Government of India enterprise, is working with Nortel Networks through public tender to deliver the network to help reduce railway operational costs, improve railway safety and deliver new services for passengers and employees.

Under terms of the Letter of Award, TCIL will deploy a communications network based on Nortel Networks GSM-R technology for the 261-kilometer, 24-station rail line running between Eastern Railway divisional headquarters in Howrah (West Bengal's second largest city) and Pradhankunta. The new communications network is scheduled for completion within 12 months.

The GSM-R network is part of an initial phase by Eastern Railway to modernize its national railway communications system. Eastern Railway serves one of 16 key railway zones in India selected to deploy GSM-R, a European Union-sponsored wireless technology now being deployed across Europe and Asia. 

According to the press release, Nortel GSM-R solution for Eastern Railway is designed to provide uniform transmission of voice and data for operation of the train line. This will include communications between train conductors, on-board crew, train dispatchers, station personnel, and other operations groups, such as shunting (attaching and separating rail cars). The network will also manage operational, maintenance, motor vehicle, and marshalling yard radio communications.

CyberMedia News