Australia’s rail sector is embarking on a communications technological revolution, which will be powered by cutting-edge 5G communications technology. Ericsson, as a global leader in connectivity solutions, is central to this transformation that will replace legacy systems such as GSM-R and lay the groundwork for a digital future with 5G FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System). These innovations are poised to modernize and digitize the nation’s railways, improving safety, efficiency, and productivity.
More efficient railways aren’t just good for transport authorities, the benefits impact all Australians. With faster, safer and more punctual trains, as well as more services overall thanks to FRMCS, rail becomes a more attractive option for commuters around Australia, which can improve quality of life for passengers while having a positive effect on reducing road traffic.
The current landscape: GSM-R in Australia
The Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway (GSM-R) is the current standard for railway communications and is widely deployed in Australia. Developed for rail mission-critical applications, GSM-R provides reliable communication between train drivers, track side workers, and controllers/dispatchers. It supports:
- Voice Communication: Ensuring clear, instant communication for operational and safety-critical tasks.
- Basic Data Transmission: Enabling applications like signaling and train control.
- Enhanced Availability: With prioritization of radio resources, GSM-R ensures connectivity during congestion, a critical factor in rail operations.
In Australia, GSM-R has been deployed in key metropolitan rail corridors, helping improve operational efficiency and safety standards. However, as rail operations grow more complex and data-intensive, GSM-R faces generational obsolescence and limitations in data bandwidth, prompting the need for its successor, 5G FRMCS.
The future of rail communication: FRMCS
FRMCS, developed by the International Union of Railways (UIC) together with stakeholders from the rail sector, is designed to succeed GSM-R. Leveraging the capabilities of 5G Standalone, FRMCS offers a substantial leap in connectivity by addressing the evolving demands of modern rail systems.
Key benefits of 5G FRMCS include:
- Higher Bandwidth: Unlike GSM-R, which is voice-centric, 5G FRMCS supports multiple services including 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) MC-PTT, MC-Data and MC-Video, where MC is for Mission Critical. 5G delivers broadband data to better enable critical applications like automatic train operations and real-time monitoring and autonomous operations.
- Low Latency: Advanced railway signaling systems, including European Train Control System Level 2 (ETCS L2) and Automatic Train Operations, require low latency to ensure that signaling data (such as movement authorities, braking commands, and track occupancy) is transmitted almost instantly. 5G FRMCS ensures rapid and reliable data exchange, enhancing safe and reliable train operations.
- Support for IoT: 5G FRMCS integrates seamlessly with Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, supporting predictive maintenance, smart infrastructure, and advanced analytics.
- Flexible Deployment: As a future-ready system, 5G FRMCS can operate across both dedicated and shared 5G network infrastructure, adapting to the unique geographical requirements of Australia’s rail environment.
5G as the backbone of FRMCS
FRMCS will use 5G technology as its foundational transport stratum. Ericsson’s 5G capabilities supports FRMCS solutions that include:
- Differentiated Services: To provide the ability to prioritize different types of railway communication traffic based on importance, urgency, and required network performance.
- Network Slicing: Enabling rail operators to create dedicated virtual networks tailored to specific applications, such as an ultra-low latency slice for signaling and control, and an IoT slice for trackside sensors and maintenance.
- Enhanced Coverage: Overcoming the limitations of GSM-R, 5G FRMCS offers seamless, high-performance coverage whether in urban, rural, tunnels or high-speed rail environments. Universal, uninterrupted coverage is particularly important for Australia’s vast and often remote rail networks.
- Cybersecurity: With Ericsson’s 5G networks, FRMCS inherits 5G’s secure and resilient communication features, including encryption for signaling and operations, network slicing to isolate railway-critical services, and AI for real-time cyber threat detection.
Ericsson’s contributions to 5G FRMCS in Australia
Ericsson is at the forefront of integrating 5G capabilities into FRMCS through our leading role participating in standards development by the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Technical Committee for Railway Telecommunications (TC RT) since 2015. Ericsson is also playing a chief part in Europe’s MORANE2 trials to validate the second release of the FRMCS standards, where all four test tracks are utilizing Ericsson’s 5G equipment. We have active 5G/FRMCS projects, trials and development activities with several leading rail operators around the world, including Deutsche Bahn, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Adif in Spain, Sweden’s Trafikverket, and Prorail in the Netherlands.
In Australia, Ericsson is the 5G networks technology leader and has unmatched in-country capabilities for solutions design, delivery and support. With over 130 years in Australia, Ericsson has been a trusted, secure supplier of critical infrastructure across the country through every generation of mobile technology. Ericsson is well positioned to leverage its long experience in the local telecom sector to deliver 5G powered communications for railway operators. As of December 2024, Ericsson powers 170 live 5G networks in more than 70 countries. For the fourth consecutive year, we have also been rated as the 2024 5G RAN infrastructure leader according to the Gartner Magic QuadrantTM and Frost RadarTM.
Australia’s rail networks are at the cusp of a technological revolution, where 5G powered FRMCS will redefine what’s possible in rail communications. As this journey unfolds, Ericsson’s innovations will play a central role in shaping a safer, smarter, and more connected rail system for Australia.
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