PORTUGUESE infrastructure manager Infrastructure Portugal (IP) has awarded Kontron Transportation a contract to modernise the core railway communications network, supporting the long-term transition to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS).
Under the contract, which is worth around €5m, Kontron Transportation will become the new supplier of the network’s radio communication infrastructure, replacing and upgrading existing systems while ensuring integration with current infrastructure and applications to minimise disruption during migration.
The project will last for 47 months and covers the supply, installation, configuration, testing, commissioning and migration of the new communications solution. Kontron will also provide training, documentation, maintenance and operational support as part of the contract.
The award marks a significant step in the modernisation of Portugal's railway communications network and is intended to provide a platform for the future deployment of FRMCS, the next-generation railway mobile communications standard that will eventually replace GSM-R.
Kontron says the contract strengthens its position in the Portuguese railway market and creates opportunities to introduce additional access-domain technologies as customers prepare for next-generation communications.
