ERTMS – ON TRACK FOR SUCCESS PART 3: ERTMS 5


“...today we are one of the key players on the international GSM-R market”


Today, GSM-R is a huge aspect of the railway industry. Many railway operators worldwide are integrating and updating their systems to ensure that they are running their networks as best as possible. In an interview for European Railway Review, Kapsch CarrierCom’s Vice President of GSM-R Global, Michel Clement, speaks about the trend in the railway telecommunication industry today, the recent contracts that Kapsch CarrierCom have won and the company’s expansion plan.


With decades of experience, what is the major trend in the railway telecommunication industry today? Kapsch CarrierCom’s unrivaled experience in GSM-R services and technology has made us the leading provider of GSM based radio communication systems for railway networks around the world. Kapsch CarrierCom has been awarded the largest GSM-R networks in Europe, Africa and Asia, covering over 69,000km of railway track. These customers count on Kapsch CarrierCom as a reliable partner, because we offer compatible end-to-end solutions and can act as a general contractor for entire projects. GSM-R acts as a transmission system for


ETCS Level 2 and is the basis for a new pan- European signalling and train warning system. This innovative system will replace the


various warning systems currently in operation in the coming years. It will simplify the cross- border use of railway traction units. In the final stage, ETCS automatically monitors the trains’ movements and, if applicable, intervenes in the train control system. The maximum speed and direction of the trains can be precisely controlled via a permanent data exchange between the routing centre and the trains. The parallel use of both systems contributes significantly to increasing the safety of the European railway. The railway infrastructure’s


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capacity and economic efficiency increases due to the shorter distance between trains and higher speeds. With our expertise in the implementation of


GSM-R projects, Kapsch CarrierCom makes a significant contribution to the realisation of a European railway network.


Recently, Kapsch CarrierCom has won contracts in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland. Are you also looking to expand into any other markets? It is true that Kapsch CarrierCom has, in the past, been known to have focused on Central and South-eastern Europe, but today we are one of the key players on the international GSM-R market. With subsidiaries in more than 20 countries we have a worldwide presence and an ever more global focus. We also believe that the GSM-R business is


among the most future-oriented sectors of the industry. Many countries, including Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey, Israel, Portugal, Spain and Algeria have started or are in the process of starting tenders. Further countries that focus on GSM-R high-speed line tenders are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. We most definitely will take part in each of the tenders.


What have been the most influential projects for Kapsch CarrierCom and the railway industry as a whole? With a market share of about 50% in the GSM-R global market, measured in kilometers of railway tracks covered by GSM-R railway infrastructure, Kapsch CarrierCom is a global leader in its field. For example, Deutsche Bahn, which has the


world’s largest GSM-R network, counts on Kapsch CarrierCom for the modernisation of its GSM-R core network and the resulting migration to the new 3GPP release 4 technology based on a standardised ATCA hardware platform. Further, we are the exclusive supplier of GSM-R to the French rail network (RFF) and Britain as the selected partner of Network Rail. Also very recently, the Polish railway


PKP/PLK, which has the third largest rail network in Europe, signed a major contract with Kapsch CarrierCom and so did Czech Railways.


Michel Clement has been President of Kapsch CarrierCom France and Vice President of GSM-R Global since April 2010. From 1998 to March 2010, Mr. Clement held many positions within Nortel, fin -


ishing as President of South Europe, Middle East and Africa.


Kapsch CarrierComregularly participates at major railway industry fairs, which gives you the chance to get informed about their capabilities. Please visit the following websites to learn more:


www.kapsch.net/en/kcc/events/


www.kapsch.net/en/kcc/portfolio_railways/ www.kapsch.net


European Railway Review Volume 17, Issue 6, 2011


INTERVIEW SPOTLIGHT


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