FRMCS
FRMCS, the Future Railway Mobile Communication System, is the 5G-based radio system defined by the UIC to replace GSM-R. It will carry ETCS train control data, voice communication between drivers and controllers, and new applications such as ATO and video, on a bearer-independent architecture designed to outlive any single radio technology.
How it works
FRMCS separates the railway applications from the underlying radio bearer. Applications such as ETCS or railway voice connect through a standardised onboard gateway and a trackside service layer, based on 3GPP mission-critical services (MCX). Underneath, the transport can be a dedicated railway 5G network, a public operator's network or a mix, and it can change over time without altering the applications.
Migration is gradual: railways will run GSM-R and FRMCS side by side for years, with onboard equipment able to use both. Dedicated spectrum has been allocated in Europe for FRMCS, and the first commercial deployments are expected around the end of this decade as GSM-R reaches the end of vendor support.
Why it matters for security
FRMCS is designed with security in mind, with mutual authentication and encryption built into the standard, which is a significant step up from GSM-R. At the same time, it moves railway communications onto an IP-based, software-defined 5G core that shares technology with the telecom industry, inherits that industry's vulnerabilities and may involve third-party networks.
During the long migration period, operators will have to secure two radio systems, their interworking gateways and the new IP paths into onboard and trackside systems. Visibility into what traverses the FRMCS service layer, and into the gateways on trains and at RBCs, becomes essential.
Related solution
Operating ERTMS across national rail networks
Protecting the radio path that carries safety-critical ETCS authorities, today and through the FRMCS migration.
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