Ericsson has scored a deal to provide its 5G-enabled Digital Radio System (DRS) tech in partnership with Sydney-based rail engineering firm UGL Transport and Vienna headquartered mission-critical communications specialist Frequentis in the lead-up to the 2032 Australian Olympics.
Awarded by the Queensland Government, Ericsson said the contract would see the new DRS deployed as part of Stage 1 of The Wave, the transformative public transport and rail infrastructure program being delivered to connect Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
The Digital Radio System project forms one of four major work packages within TMR’s broader procurement activity for Stage 1 of The Wave.
Ludvig Landgren, Head of Ericsson, Australia and New Zealand says: “This is a significant moment for digital rail in Australia. Ericsson’s mission-critical private 5G platform will underpin Queensland’s next-generation rail communications network, supporting safer operations and enabling the introduction of European Train Control System Level 2 digital train control.”
The company said the DRS would provide the communications foundation to support rollout of European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2, a next-generation signaling technology that enables continuous digital train control being delivered by Paris-based railway systems firm Alstom.
As part of the project, Ericsson said would deliver the 5G communications platform underpinning the offering. “The technology is designed to support mission-critical rail operations and provide a pathway toward Future Railway Mobile Communications System (FRMCS) capabilities, helping improve safety, operational efficiency and network capacity,” it said.
Under the contract, UGL Transport, Ericsson and Frequentis will deliver the first operational section of the Digital Radio System to the Sunshine Coast line, which is a key corridor in the broader upgrade plans for Queensland’s rail network. “The system will be ready to support passenger services ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Ericsson.
