Telia’s 5G tests keep train communications on track

For the first time in a public mobile network, Telia, Ericsson and the Swedish Transport Administration will test a European 5G-based standard with the potential to bring express speeds to critical railway communications.

Today, most rail networks in Europe use the GSM-R system to connect train drivers, control centers and automatic safety systems.

By 2033, this 2G set-up will be phased out in favor of the 5G-based Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). The new standard will help accelerate digitalization of the sector, support increased automation and make use of 5G’s possibilities – ultimately enhancing the competitiveness of passenger and freight transport by rail.

As part of the European Union’s FP2-MORANE-2 project, Telia and partners will test the FRMCS standard on a 40-kilometer stretch of railway between Katrineholm and Åby in central Sweden, using Telia’s world-class 5G network.

Staffan Åkesson, Head of Infrastructure, Telia Sweden: “Thanks to our leading 5G coverage and its unique capabilities, we can contribute to modernizing critical communications for European railways. Given their central role in the transition to a more sustainable transport system, this is particularly urgent. The project will also provide important insights for our continued work to develop critical communications services for other essential societal infrastructure.”

Telia’s Swedish mobile network was recently named the best in the country for the fifth year in a row by the widely recognized independent benchmarking organization umlaut. With a total score of 971 points from a possible 1,000, the result makes Telia one of the leading five operators anywhere in the world.

Launched in December 2024, the EUR 13.5 million FP2-MORANE-2 project will trial FRMCS in three European laboratories and on various rail lines, including both conventional and high-speed tracks, between 2025 and 2027.

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