Key Takeaways : 3rd Annual UIC Global FRMCS Conference 2024

The UIC Global FRMCS Conference 2024, held in Paris (19–20 November), attracted over 300 delegates from across the industry and highlighted critical advancements and strategic directions in the development of the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS).

Here are our top takeaways from the event:

• Significant progress is being made in the development of FRMCS with excitement building for the release of V2 of the FRMCS specification.
• Given that major European countries have announced the turnoff of 2G (GSM) as early as summer 2028, the obsolescence and lack of ongoing support for GSM-R is driving the move to FRMCS.
• There is strong cooperation across the rail ecosystem and robust support from government agencies for FRMCS.
• Preparations for the MORANE 2 test project are well underway. This European initiative involves extensive testing of FRMCS hardware and software across five pilot lines (including two high speed lines), preparing for the system's full implementation starting in 2027.
• Given the higher frequency band and lower power class to be used in FRMCS vs GSM-R, the impact on trackside infrastructure is still being quantified. These changes are likely to mean a higher number of towers are required, estimates seemed to vary between twice as many through to eight times as many towers.
• Along with a large contingent of rail operators, delegates from across the rail ecosystem—including technology equipment vendors, consultants, regulators and governmental organizations—were in attendance.
• There is strong international interest in FRMCS, with delegates from 30 countries attending coming from across Europe, Africa, middle-East, Asia, and North America.
• To successfully implement FRMCS, organisations need to build competences in modern 5G technologies, there application and capabilities across the organisation as well as developing in-depth competence and knowledge within the engineering functions that will design and deploy FRMCS across their network.
• The final words go to Jean-Michel Evanghelou, Director Telecom, Signalling & Digital, UIC “FRMCS is happening”.

About UIC Rail Academy

The UIC Rail Academy: Telecoms Section features a suite of specialist training solutions for the railway industry covering rail radio engineering and associated technologies.

The Telecoms Section includes courses ranging from individual self-study and instructor-led courses to the Diploma in Rail Radio Network Communications and the comprehensive UIC Rail Academy: Telecoms Collection that includes access to all our rail communications system training material (online and instructor-led) plus an additional range of courses on wider telecoms network technologies. Learn more