Pan-European railway communications: where PMR and cellular meet

Radio communications form an essential part of railway operations. However, across Europe, a range of often incompatible, analogue private mobile radio (PMR) type systems is currently in use. With new digital standards emerging, and increasing European harmonisation, the railway authorities, in line with the EC directive on the harmonisation of European High Speed Railway Network technology, have decided to standardise a new radio system for introduction from 1997 in order to allow interoperability and open competition from industry on a Europe-wide basis. In the paper, the reasons for selecting the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) as the basis for the radio system are examined and changes required to provide the enhancements necessary for railway operation are detailed. The resulting technology, which will become available to all GSM operators, might make cellular systems more attractive to current PMR users