On 24 and 25 March, UIC hosted a plenary meeting bringing together members of the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) working groups. This “FRMCS Mega Meeting” represented a key opportunity to align the functional and technical development of this next generation rail communication standard.

The meeting gathered 42 rail communications experts from several UIC working groups and the ERA telecom team. Its primary goals were to facilitate direct discussions, clarify key functional and technical dependencies, and ensure that all FRMCS activities remain aligned.

As we start the implementation plan, we are currently in a pivotal phase of the UIC Plan for the introduction of the FRMCS for railways, which was established in 2019, with all milestones executed in time.

The discussions focused heavily on the delivery of the final iteration of the Version 3 (V3) specifications, which will officially define the FRMCS 1st Edition – the successor to GSM-R.

To achieve this, two key milestones must be met. The first is the delivery of Version V3p of the specifications, planned for November 2026. This version will be fully aligned with Version 3 (V3), pending final inputs from the FP2-MORANE-2 project. The second and final target is the delivery of the ERA-approved V3 set of FRMCS specifications, planned for December 2027.

This collaborative effort ensures that the FRMCS 1st Edition is expected to be available on schedule. This will provide railways and the suppliers industry with a robust, standardised framework for both GSM-R replacement and the future of digital rail operations.

For more information on UIC FRMCS and the FP2 MORANE 2 project (funded by Europe’s Rail), please visit the websites below:
https://uic.org/rail-system/telecoms-signalling/frmcs
https://www.fp2morane2.eu/