NEXT
GENERATION
TRANSPORT
COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS
NEXT GENERATION TRANSPORT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Public transport is vital to improving our quality of These technologies play a vital role in helping At the heart of the transformation of public
transport operators improve system safety transport systems is the dependable flow of
life. It provides mobility, can shape land use and and service reliability, enhance passenger real-time information. For safety-critical signalling
development patterns, generates jobs and enables experience, provide higher transit capacity, applications, high availability data communication
and reduce operational costs. is vital, as any disruption could potentially bring
economic growth. trains to a stop. Similarly, efficient incident
In the rail sector, a growing number of operators are
response depends on reliable voice communication
A well-run transportation system can support using the communications infrastructure to enable
systems that can provide guaranteed access
forms of automatic train control. Examples include
public policies around energy use, air quality systems which use moving block signaling, enabling
during emergencies.
and carbon emissions. According to UITP (the an increase in line capacity by safely reducing To remain competitive, as commuter
headway between trains. expectations increase, transport operators
International Association of Public Transport), will be under greater pressure to deliver
Similarly, bus and tram operators have adopted
investment in public transport generates a return Intermodal Transport Control Systems (ITCS), which
enhanced passenger experiences. Defining
these experiences will be the ability to simplify
as high as four times the capital outlay. combine computer-aided dispatch and automatic
multi-modal travel through seamless e-ticketing, as
vehicle location systems, to improve operational
well as to provide accurate passenger information,
efficiency and enable greater service reliability.
on-board internet access and infotainment services.
Today, the transport industry faces new
challenges, of which urban population
growth is one of the most pressing. A NEW APPROACH IS REQUIRED
TO ADDRESS THESE NEW
As more and more people gravitate into is a fundamental part of the strategy to CHALLENGES
metropolitan areas, demand for transport address the public’s ever-increasing need for
infrastructure and mobility services soars. mobility. For some authorities, this means To succeed in this demanding environment, next generation It is the fulfilment of these critical requirements that
enabling simplified and seamless multi-modal transport systems will rely upon a communications system will inform the way transport operators select their
Public transport will play a crucial role
commuting and travel for all. that supports three critical elements: communications technologies. While there is no
in this new landscape, because it is by
far the most efficient way to transport To encourage a modal shift away from private one-size-fits-all solution, a unified communications
large numbers of people and will always forms of transport, operators have embarked system, built on a resilient TETRA technology
outperform other modes of transport. on extensive modernisation programmes
• Simplified application integration foundation, can provide a critical enabler for
that leverage advanced information and • High availability communications transforming transport operations.
For public transport authorities, achieving
communications solutions.
a sustainable public transportation system • Converged communication services
NEXT GENERATION TRANSPORT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION
INTEGRATION
Public transport systems depend on both fixed Train protection systems such as CBTC and Through the use of application programming TETRA system APIs
and mobile communication networks to meet the European Train Control System (ETCS) are interfaces (API), TETRA voice communication
primary objectives: higher service punctuality, implemented as layered models, which means services can be seamlessly integrated with existing provide the necessary
maximised operational efficiency and superior it is technically feasible to change the physical operations control centre (OCC) applications, such implementation flexibility
passenger experiences. These communication communications channel without adversely as those used by line controllers or bus dispatchers.
networks are required to support a myriad of impacting the rest of the system. Thus, train By presenting TETRA audio and control signalling as to ensure that OCC
information exchanges, relating to both critical protection systems in the application layer can a single IP data stream, integration with the OCC’s applications, such as
and non-critical functions. benefit from the data capacity and high existing IT infrastructure can be simplified.
reliability provided by TETRA. Rail CAD, are intuitive.
Transport system throughput and safety depend
on the reliable transmission of data. For rail The interfacing of on-board systems with TETRA
In addition to safety-critical applications, transport For example, TETRA system
operators are harnessing mobile data communications
applications, TETRA satisfies the defined radio equipment is simplified through the provision to drive transformation in day-to-day operations. APIs can allow dispatchers
performance criteria for safety-critical systems
such as Automatic Train Protection (ATP), as well
of a standardised peripheral equipment interface
(PEI). On the network side, TETRA systems are
In general, these relate to passenger experience to perform numerous functions
services and business-supporting applications such
as supporting critical voice requirements. TETRA readily integrated with IP packet data networks and as ticketing, high-speed internet access, remote such as announcements on
provides a range of data bearers that ensure the
reliable transmission of vehicle location information,
can support data transmission speeds in excess of
90kbit/s, through the use of TETRA Enhanced Data
maintenance and CCTV. Such applications have less specific trains, or private
stringent Quality of Service (QoS) requirements and
as required by the ITCS solutions used by bus and Service (TEDS). As such, TETRA provides an excellent their bandwidth requirements vary depending on the calls to drivers, using
tram operators. platform for reliable data transport. type and volume of information being exchanged. pull-down command menus
and point-and-click options
on the Rail CAD user interface.
MAXIMISED
HIGHER OPERATIONAL
SERVICE EFFICIENCY SUPERIOR
PUNCTUALITY
PASSENGER
EXPERIENCES
INTEGRATED TRANSPORT Applications deemed to be non-critical can be integrated into the same TETRA
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS network that connects low-bandwidth, safety-critical sub-systems, so as to maximise
return on investment. Where additional bandwidth is required, alternative bearers
such as Wi-Fi and LTE can be deployed to increase the system’s data capacity.
STATION STAFF
DEPOT STAFF
BUS ON-BOARD SYSTEMS
ATP, ATO, TRAINBORNE SYSTEMS
90 KBIT/S • CCTV VIDEO FILE SHARING
ON-STREET EQUIPMENT
• TRAIN CONTROL
LMR
WI-FI
TEDS ETCS L2
TETRA Enhanced
• TRAIN TELEMETRY
LMR LTE Data Service (50 kHz
channel bandwidth)
MINIMUM DATA CAPACITY
BUS STOP BUS PRIORITY 12 KBIT/S
PANEL DISPLAY SYSTEM
• IMAGE SHARING • TRAIN CONTROL
ETCS L2
MSPD
IP NETWORK TETRA multi-slot • SUB-SYSTEM FILE TRANSFERS
packet data • TRAIN TELEMETRY
TRACKSIDE 2 KBIT/S
EQUIPMENT
• UTO
OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTRE
• CONCURRENT VOICE
AND DATA
WAYSIDE ATP, ATO SDS
TRAIN CONTROLLER BUS DISPATCHER PIS, PAS, PABX, VIDEO • STATUS MONITORING
TETRA Short Data
Service • TRAIN LOCATION
INTERLOCKING
ATS, RAIL SUB-SYSTEMS ITCS DATA CENTRE
LEVEL OF TRAIN CONTROL
NEXT GENERATION TRANSPORT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
HIGH AVAILABILITY GENERIC TRANSPORT TETRA GSM-R Proprietary Public
COMMUNICATIONS
REQUIREMENTS (UHF) (800/900MHz) CBTC Data Cellular
Communications Network
Subsystem
Protection from interference Yes Yes No Yes
SCENARIO 1
Critical voice services Yes Yes No No
CHALLENGE: Critical transport functions relate not only to
safety, but also to operational efficiency and
RF site coverage radius
Data throughput
10 to 25 km
14.4 kbit/s -
5 to 10km
9.6 kbit/s
~250 to 450m
+10Mbit/s
Up to 10km
+10Mbit/s
Maintain bus service punctuality emergency response. In order to support these 90 kbit/s*
during periods when road traffic operations, a secure and reliable voice and data * Using TEDS
is heavy. communications network is vital. with 50kHz
In the case of radio-based train control channel
SOLUTION: systems, a basic safety requirement is to
provide uninterrupted data communications Guaranteed coverage in
bandwidth
Yes Yes Yes No
Install GPS-enabled TETRA mobile radio on all
between train-borne sub-systems and wayside operational areas Dependent
vehicles, to reliably transport real-time location
equipment, at all points along the track. These on operator
updates via the Short Data Service. These
systems must meet minimum QoS requirements business
location updates are provided to the ITCS which
to guarantee performance. model.
is integrated with the city’s traffic management
system. Guaranteed access Yes Yes Yes No
In addition to QoS management, other Designed for
Traffic light priorities are adjusted accordingly
criteria need to be assessed in order to best effort.
using a balanced algorithm that takes into
account private as well as public transport select an appropriate radio communication Choice of suppliers High Limited High High
modes. This means that a late-running bus system. These include the cost of deployment
service would benefit from extended green (based on the required number of sites), RAIL SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
phases, based on real-time location information maximum supported vehicle speed, data capacity,
provided by the ITCS. critical voice services and protection from radio GENERIC TRANSPORT TETRA GSM-R Proprietary Public
interference. REQUIREMENTS (UHF) (800/900MHz) CBTC Data Cellular
Communications Network
Subsystem (3G/4G)
Support for train signalling Yes Yes Yes No
(per EIRENE FRS for 2.4 kbit/s) Using Packet
Data service
Mobility: Standardised Yes Yes Proprietary Yes
seamless handover (less than
300ms break in connection)
Mobility: Support running Yes Yes No Yes
speeds of up to 500 km/h Typically up to 120
km/h
Today, transport operators can choose from a wide range of digital radio technologies. Based
on functional and performance requirements, TETRA, which operates in the licensed UHF
frequency band, is well suited to supporting critical transport operations.
CONVERGED
COMMUNICATION
SERVICES
The need for increasing levels of automation, smarter asset The converged communication services framework
also extends to voice communications. It ensures
maintenance and improved security will drive demand for that workgroups can communicate seamlessly and
on-board video surveillance and greater data bandwidth. securely across different networks. As transport
operators digitalise their operations, this capability
Applications that enhance the commuter experience, such will be vital in ensuring interoperability with legacy
as eTicketing and passenger Wi-Fi, are also contributing analogue communication systems.
to this growth in data demand. Converged communication services help to improve
transport operational efficiency by simplifying
To address these additional data communication For example, applications such as Rail CAD must the task of integrating data with workflows. For
requirements, transport operators are deploying function consistently regardless of the underlying example, using a Group Management API, an
dedicated mobile broadband systems, such network. engineering supervisor’s smartphone application
as private LTE, or harnessing public cellular can create a dynamic talkgroup comprising trackside
With a converged communication services workers within a specific geographical area to share
networks. A key benefit of LTE is its ability to
framework, applications are network and device task-related information. In this example, the exact
support prioritisation and QoS differentiation,
independent and access shared services across locations of all workers can be shared via a common
allowing operators to consolidate multiple
multiple communication platforms. For example, Location API and visualised on the smartphone app’s
services onto a single data
a Messaging API could be accessed by an OCC geospatial user interface.
communications network.
application in order to update a passenger
Now that private radio communications and LTE information display in a specific bus over an LTE
can support critical transport operations, the connection. The same Messaging API could be
challenge for operators is in achieving voice used to update the passenger information display
and data convergence across multiple networks. panel in a different bus over the TETRA network.
NEXT GENERATION TRANSPORT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
SCENARIO 2
CHALLENGE: SOLUTION:
Reduce response time to emergency situations Leverage the unified TETRA and broadband network
on public transport. to rapidly deliver the actionable information to the
emergency responders.
1 2 5 6
Passenger enters the bus without Passenger is challenged by the driver Converged communication services The cloud-based data sharing
a valid travel pass. after he refuses to pay the fare. provide real-time location of the bus application allows the bus operator to
to the OCC and the cloud-based data share real-time incident data with the
sharing application. police response team.
3 4 7 8
Passenger becomes verbally The emergency alert is received at The police response team armed The police response team enters
aggressive and driver presses the the OCC and video from the CCTV with information about the suspect the bus and arrest the disruptive
emergency button on her TETRA radio. streamed via the LTE network to the approach the bus. passenger.
operator.
SCENARIO 3
CHALLENGE: SOLUTION:
Implement centralised access Harness real-time context and location
control for train operator’s information delivered using converged
equipment room. communication services.
ACCESS SECURITY APPLICATION
A FLEXIBLE COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORM IS THE KEY
A high availability communications platform is vital for supporting critical
transport operations, as well as business-supporting processes. Modern TETRA
systems provide functionality that can readily be adapted for transport operations.
By leveraging the converged communication services framework, TETRA systems can be
integrated with broadband networks to create a unified network that supports additional data
capacity. By embracing this open and flexible framework, transport operators can seamlessly
expand the capabilities of their TETRA platform to support future use cases and enable the
1 2 3
Maintenance Engineer Using Bluetooth LE, his Based on the configured continuous improvement of service quality.
starts shift. His staff ID location, presence and access policy, the Access
is associated with context are shared Security application grants
his Radio ID in the with the Access him access to the secure
TETRA system. Security application area on the basis of the time
via converged of entry, key fob pairing,
communication services. location and Radio ID.
MOTOROLA
SOLUTIONS
Motorola Solutions is the leader in mission-critical digital voice and data
communications. Solutions include dedicated and customised
communication infrastructures for transportation operators such as
metros, rail services and buses.
Motorola Solutions’ current focus of integration is around converged
communication services. This enables transport operators to integrate
existing narrowband investments in two-way radio systems with mobile
broadband capabilities.
Working with customers around the world in the development and
provision of these advanced networks, Motorola Solutions ensures the
industry priorities of safety, efficiency and improving the passenger
experience are met through reliable, effective communication.
Visit us at [Link]/transportation
Motorola Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd, 80 Pasir Panjang Road #18-81,
Singapore, 117372 +(65) 68176800
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