Kapsch will migrate Infrabel’s existing 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) R99/TDM core to Release 4 technology. This standards-compliant, carrier-grade, all-IP voice core solution is based on advanced telecommunications computing architecture, which is compliant with ETCS Level 2 and guarantees a continuous data transmission based on GSM-R.
As well as supplying technology, Kapsch is responsible for network design, installation and equipment maintenance for 12 years.
Kapsch says the main challenges of the project is to optimise the migration process in order to minimise the risk of impacting operational communications (voice and data for ETCS Level 2) particularly given limited intervention opportunities.
The supplier says that to overcome the challenge it will implement Redundant Voice Core platforms with a range of application services, including SMS and voice recording, for both live and testbed networks.
Kapsch says these platforms will significantly increase the availability of the core network, and in the event of a breakdown in a data centre, will minimise unavailability to a few seconds rather than a few hours. Maintenance operations such as software upgrades will also be performed with minimal impact on services. The migration of the packet core platforms will similarly provide the necessary functionalities and resilience allowing the use of ETCS Level 2 over GPRS.
