On 19 and 20 November, the International Union of Railways (UIC) hosted the 2024 Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) Conference in Paris. This strategic and impressive event brought together over 300 experts from 30 countries, representing railway companies, technology providers, regulators, and key institutions such as the European Commission.

A shared vision for the future of rail
François Davenne, UIC Director General: “FRMCS is transforming rail by creating a robust digital infrastructure and reinforcing the role of rail as the backbone of sustainable and resilient mobility.”

Jean-Michel Evanghelou, UIC Director of Telecom, Signalling, and Digital Applications: “This system presents a unique opportunity to integrate critical technologies such as automatic train operation (ATO) and prepares the rail system to develop and enable digitalisation in the decades to come.”

Keir Fitch, DG MOVE Head of the Rail Safety and Interoperability Unit, European Commission: “The transition to FRMCS must be swift and harmonised to maximise its benefits for safety, innovation, and sustainability.”

Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director of Europe’s Rail: “FRMCS is a cornerstone for the future of rail mobility, and this conference is a critical step in making this vision a reality.”

Enno Wiebe, General Manager of European Rail Supply Industry Association (UNIFE): “The time act on and implement FRMCS is now. The pressure is on, but we can collectively be proud of being part of this programme and of the close cooperation within the sector.”

FRMCS: the cornerstone of rail’s digital transformation
Designed to replace the Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway (GSM-R), FRMCS marks a major technological leap for railway communications. Built on the 5G Standalone and Mission Critical standards from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), FRMCS provides advanced connectivity and a resilient digital infrastructure to meet the rail sector’s evolving needs.

Key technical features:

• Global interoperability: A harmonised system facilitating seamless cross-border operations while reducing infrastructure costs.
• Enhanced data capacity: Enabling predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and advanced passenger services.
• Ultra-low latency: Essential for safety-critical applications such as train driver to controller communication, railways emergency calls, ETCS , automatic train control and advanced warning systems.
• Spectrum adaptability: Operating allocated frequency bands in Europe and also capable of using other 5G frequency bands, making it suitable for worldwide market requirements.

Supported by strategic collaboration and funding
Morane 2 Project: A major European collaboration

This project with value beyond €50M, co-funded by the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking and the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) at a level of €13.5M, will be led by UIC and will involve 13 railway companies, 13 suppliers, two mobile network operators as well as the UNIFE association.

• The full FRMCS hardware and software ecosystem will be tested in three laboratories and on five pilot sites in Europe, including a high-speed rail line in Spain.
• These results will pave the way for finalising the FRMCS V3 specifications, which are set to be integrated into the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) by 2027. This will lead to the release of FRMCS 1st Edition, the first implementable version of FRMCS.

A global approach to FRMCS development
FRMCS can be distinguished by its ability to address specific regional needs while relying on a harmonised global technological foundation.

• In Europe, advanced testing with Morane 2 will ensure seamless implementation aligned with the interoperability and sustainability objectives set by the European Union.
• In Asia and Oceania, current efforts focus on aligning FRMCS with the different identified needs of various railway networks, particularly through a technical partnership with China Railways (CR).
• In North America, FRMCS is seen as a suitable candidate for upcoming high-speed train projects, as for instance California High-Speed.
• In Africa and the Middle East, where GSM-R migration is a point of discussion, FRMCS is considered as the solution to be implemented, with active preparations being underway with pioneering countries.

This global adaptability demonstrates FRMCS’s potential to enhance railway capacity across varied environments, promoting sustainable and resilient mobility.

Conference highlights
The conference underscored the latest advancements in FRMCS development:

• Validation of the UIC V1 Specifications with corresponding supplier prototypes, including lab and field tests already achieved as part of 5GRail, a project led by UIC and co-funded by DG-CONNECT for the European Commission.
• FRMCS was introduced in 2023 CCST TSI as GSM-R successor, together with V1 specifications
• The UIC V2 Specifications are being finalised through the European regulatory process led by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), with an official Technical Opinion to be released by the end of the year.
• The preparation of Morane 2 with all of the relevant railways and suppliers involved, to develop the FRMCS V2 specifications and ecosystem towards V3, and consequently FRMCS 1st Edition.

A platform for reflection and progress
It is essential to provide updates on FRMCS developments, share milestones, and address the remaining challenges, to ensure that the global rail community continues to move forward. This is why UIC has decided to make the FRMCS Conference an annual event. By doing so, the conference will provide a consistent platform to monitor progress, discuss innovation, and collectively overcome obstacles.

Strategic partnerships and acknowledgments
UIC extends its gratitude to its sponsors, including Viavi Solutions, Funkwerk, Ericsson, Frequentis, Huawei, Siemens, Kontron, Nokia, Ride on Track, Alstom, as well as its media partners Railway Gazette International, IRJ, Revue Générale des chemins de fer, Via Libre, Ville Rail & Transport, B2B Rail, for supporting FRMCS innovations and sharing them with stakeholders.

Watch the opening video: https://youtu.be/KXVFAme_pSw