VIEWPOINT
Matthieu Bourguignon is the Senior Vice-President and Head of Europe for Network Infrastructure business at Nokia.
5G Revolution Reshapes Rail Networks Matthieu Bourguignon, Senior Vice-President and Head of Europe for Network Infrastructure Business at Nokia outlines how this crucial shift to 5G technology will enable enhanced digitalisation, automation, and sustainability across rail networks
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s an innovator at the forefront of networking, Nokia has already been communicating with individual rail operators about the crucial advantages of digital transformation, including how mission-critical connectivity is foundational to operational excellence and resiliency that can benefit passengers and businesses, as well as the environment. For example, rail journeys can become more efficient and reliable – with reduced travel time, higher capacity, new conveniences for passengers, and real time journey information. These advances help make rail travel an attractive choice. Simultaneously, automation can directly deliver greener transport by enhancing railways’ operating efficiency, which decreases energy consumption and emissions while increasing sustainability. However, one point is critical for gaining the greatest benefit from digital systems: Rail operators are all planning for the migration to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), which is the next generation of railway communication technology. Here are key facts we have been sharing with rail operators on the transformation process. This information could play a crucial role in comprehensive rail improvements. FRMCS, capable of high bandwidth and low latency connectivity, is a key enabler of digitalisation and automation, which is at the very heart of sustainable transport. The
‘FRMCS, capable of high bandwidth and low latency connectivity, is a key enabler of digitalisation and automation, which is at the very heart of sustainable transport.’ FRMCS standard requires rail operators to use 5G technology in their communications network, while many are still using GSM-R, a 2G technology. This GSM-R to FRMCS transition is a hot topic for railways across Europe right now. And complex planning decisions need to be made soon. One of the first steps that can be carried out now for FRMCS deployment is the modernisation of the transmission network to IP/MPLS technology since SDH technology used to support GSM-R is not capable of supporting 5G traffic. Digital advances, such as the use of AI and Internet of Things, are propelling more automation and data-driven operations across the rail network. As a result, many operational technology (OT) applications
‘Digital advances, such as the use of AI and Internet of Things, are propelling more automation and data-driven operations across the rail network, with operational technology applications increasingly being deployed in segregated, onpremises cloud environments.’
are now increasingly being deployed in a segregated, on-premises cloud environment known as the OT cloud, which improves efficiency for data processing and sharing. To get maximum benefit from the OT cloud, railways need data centre fabric that can provide resilient, scalable and secure connectivity for the servers that host OT applications and data. This connectivity, interworking with the IP/MPLS transmission network, will enable railway operators to use OT to create an adaptive digital rail system. This system employs data-driven automation to respond to new challenges with smarter decisions, greater efficiency and higher agility. Talking about security, they also need to be aware of growing cyberthreats since railways can be a prime target, and digitalisation includes more potential attack surfaces. That’s because many of the most vulnerable areas of a railway system are in the interstices and communications between sub-systems. To protect these areas, railways need a comprehensive, defence-in-depth security approach that not only protects individual network elements but also safeguards against new quantum threats. Nokia has been at the forefront of FRMCS, working with the industry, government regulators, rail operators and standardisation bodies to develop the standard. Our mission-critical solutions including FRMCS, IP and optical networks, OT cloud networking, and quantum-safe networking can all contribute to the success of railway transformation. 31