GSM-R Network in

MTRC
Mobile Train Radio Communication (MTRC) works on
GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications for
Railways) Technology.
 GSM-R Spécification
Developed requirements for a new
UIC common communication standard for
the railways

UIC = Union Internationale des Chemins de fer

Railway communications standard

ETSI EIRENE body selected GSM as the preferred
standard
ETSI = European
Telecommunications EIRENE = European Integrated Railway radio Enhanced NEtwork
Standards Institute
Development & testing of a GSM-R
INDUSTRIAL MORANE system based on EIRENE’s defined
PARTNERS specifications

MORANE = Mobile radio for RAilway Network in Europe

GSM-R : In operation TODAY
GSM-R Requirements:

· Seamless communication up to a speed of 500 km/h

· Efficient usage of a limited number of frequencies

· C/I of 37db min

· 95% Coverage for 95% of the time in a designated coverage area with a
level of above -90 dBm

· Hand over success rate of above 99.5% even between GSM-R networks

· High availability of both transmission path and network equipment

· Improved coverage in railway station and shunting areas

 GSM and GSM-R – A Comparison
GSM GSM-R
1. Honey-comb network 1. Linear network
2. Repetition of frequency at the 4th 2. Repetition of frequency at the 5th Cell
Cell
3. 33D coverage (Directive antennas are
3. 360D coverage used)
4. Only one type of Handset is used 4. Different types of Mobile sets are used
(depending on the type of use).
5. No priority, group call or broadcast
call 5. Priority, group call or broadcast call
6. No functional addressing or location 6. Both functional & location dependent
dependent addressing addressing are used.
7. Power output of Handset <or=2W 7. Power output of mobile sets are 2W or
8W (for Cab Radio).
8. Holes or Dark spots can be
tolerated. 8. No dark spot is allowed along the
track.
Frequency bands for use by GSM-railway may differ in individual
countries (especially in non UIC countries) due to national
regulations and have to be agreed.

If the frequencies will be outside GSM-R band, GSM-R

applications are still possible but border crossing traffic may be
not functional due to different frequency ranges.
CHANNEL-WISE ALLOCATION OF FREQUENCIES
(ON THE BASIS OF 4-CELL REUSE/ 5TH CELL REPETITION PATTERN)

SL NO CHL SL NO CHL
Frequencies(MHz) Frequencies(MHz)
NO. NO.
UP LINK DN LINK UP LINK DN LINK

1 1 907.8 952.8 7 8 909.2 954.2

2 2 908 953 8 9 909.4 954.4

3 3 908.2 953.2 9 *10 f10 f10'

4 4 908.4 953.4 10 *11 f11 f11'

5 6 908.8 953.8 11 *13 f13 f13'

6 7 909 954
* To be allotted by WPC in addition to 8-pair already allotted for the Rlys.
GSM-R Network

The MTRC system consist of following sub-system:-

 Mobile Station(MS)
 Base Station Sub-System(BSS)
 Switch sub- System(SSS)
 Operation & Maintenance Subsystem

MS consist of two parts :-

i) Subscriber identity module(SIM)
ii) Mobile equipment(ME)/Handset
 NF Railway MTRC Network

IN

IN Commander
MS

E1 SS7 Um
BSC
MSC
Hipath TRAU

BRI PRI A
Asub Abis nxE1
........
BTS BTS 28No BTS
Core Dispatcher Rangia
NJP BSC
BRI

........
Asub Abis nxE1
LMT
BTS BTS 20No BTS

BRI Katihar BSC

........
Core Dispatcher Katihar CTL (SCR) Radio Commander Abis nxE1
Asub
BTS BTS 17No BTS
Guwahati MTRC Room
HANDSETs USEd IN MTRC, NFR

OPH HAND SET

PROVIDED TO
To Loco Pilots

GPH HAND SET

PROVIDED
To Station Master
 To Guards
 To Lobby & Officers
 To S&T Maintenance staff, P WAY staff
Operational Handheld
(OPH 940)

• Emergency Button
• Robust Design
• IP 54
• resistant housing
• Push to talk button
GSM-R Cab Radio Front Panel
GSM-R Controllers Terminal
 GSM-R Indian Railways
Functional Addressing

To call Driver of train :

• Driver of particular train keeps changing.
Controller
Without Functional Addressing:
• Controller must know the always
changing number (MSISDN) of the
specific Train Driver of train 2423
With Functional Addressing :
• Controller dials the Unique Number and
is connected to the driver currently on
Train Driver on train 2423
duty. No Need to remember the mobile no
of each Driver.
Basics – registration/deregistration
Functional
USSD string for MSC number IN
(Train nr. +
 Registration function code)
 Deregistration
 Interrogation
OK

Registration complete
Association between Train
Number and MSISDN of
Train Driver now in place
 GSM-R Indian Railways
Location Dependent Addressing

To call Controller :
Without LDA
• Driver wishes to communicate emergency to controller.
• Driver is not aware of who is Controller of that area.
• Driver must know the no of each controller on route.
With LDA
• Driver dials the short code i.e 1200 and is connected to
controller in charge of that area.
• Short Code is common throughout journey.
 GSM-R Indian Railways
Location Dependent Addressing ( LDA)

IN MSC

Controller B

Controller A
 enhanced MULTILEVEL PRECEDENCE AND PREEMPTION
(eMLPP)
If a handover to neighbouring Cells is unsuccessful due to
congestion on the radio channel, a preemption service is necessary
to allow immediate access to a traffic channel occupied by a low
priority application.

A preemption service will release ongoing low priority calls to free

traffic channels for emergency call setup.

These calls shall be set up in 1 second or less.

Up to 7 different eMLPP levels (2 network and 5 subscriber levels)

are introduced.

One or more priority levels can be assigned to a mobile subscriber.

Network Level 1 is reserved for Railway Emergency Calls

Network Level 2 for ETCS.

Maximum allowed and default priority will be stored in the HLR

with the related subscriber data.

When an eMLPP priority call is build up, the MSC / VLR will
insert the priority into the call set-up message to the BSC.

The BSC will evaluate the Priority and give access to the
appropriation channel for either call set-up or hand-over
 GSM-R Indian Railways
eMLPP

Two subscribers are involved in a point to point call

Train controller initiates a REC in the Group Area
The subscribers are notified
The ongoing ptp is terminated and the REC is connected

Emergency!

Emergency... Emergency...

Point to point call

Controller
OK OK
Important calls should always be set up immediately
(eMLPP - enhanced Multilevel Precedence and Preemption)

eMLPP is characterized by following key points:

 Priorities on subscribers and groups
 Calls with prio 0 will automatically use Fast Call Setup (< 2 s.)

Ref EIRENE FRS

 Lower priority calls put on by high priority calls

 Calls with high prio is auto answered
 VOICE BROADCAST SERVICE (VBS)
A VBS is characterized by following key points

•One Broadcast Call Number combines all members of a certain

Group.

• For each Broadcast Call, a Service Area composed out of a

number of cells is assigned

• Dialing the broadcast call number initialises the parallel set-up of

connections into all Cells of the assigned service area. All members
of this group being in the service area will be paged to receive a
notification of the ongoing voice broadcast call

• Dependent on the call ID a priority members of the group call

can decide to join the call
MSC connects the so called Dispatcher with a duplex connection

Each cell of the required group call area is setup with half-duplex
connections.

Members actually present in this area will be paged and

connected via common channel down-link (can only listen)

If a member of the group enters the Cell after beginning of the

voice broadcast, he will just join the ongoing voice broadcast at his
time of entry.

If a member of the group leaves the voice broadcast area, he will

be disconnected.

The setup of a VBS is possible with eMLPP or as a normal call

without priority and preemption.
 Technical solution
Voice Broadcast Call

The Group Area is predefined

Train controller initiates a VBS call in a Group Area
The speech is broadcasted to all users in the area

Train is…
Train is delayed
Train is…

Controller
Train is…

(One way communication)

 VOICE GROUP CALL SERVICE
(VGCS)
VGCS is characterised by the key point that the actual speaker
can change during a call.

Group members will normally listen to the ongoing Voice Group

Call

As soon as the initiator of the VGCS stops speaking, he

indicates that he releases the up-link.

All group members will be notified that they can now request an
up-link to become the next talker by using their Push-To-Talk
function.

A dedicated duplex channel will be allocated in the respective

cell.
 GSM-R Indian Railways
Voice Group Call - VGCS

The Group Area is predefined

Train controller initiates a VGCS call in a Group Area
The speech is broadcasted to all users
The user can confirm by using Push To Talk, PTT
The Call can be initiated by any group Member.
Group Call Register
group call related data, e.g.:
- group Id
- priority (network, subscriber)
- call setup class (fast, normal)

Train is… Train is coming please

acknowledge that you
OK have heard?
Train is…

OK Controller
Train is…

OK
Thank You