This year, the Kapsch exhibit at InnoTrans (hall 5.1 / stand no. 119) is all about GSM-R. In addition to its comprehensive technology competence, the new world market leader, measured in kilometers of railway tracks, has exciting references. The reference list ranges from France, Germany, Great Britain to Spain, Italy, Austria to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Turkey and Algeria. The latest prominent project is a large order from Network Rail in the UK. Once again, one of the largest railway operators continues to rely on Kapsch CarrierCom to upgrade and expand its existing network with a railway communication system as well as deploying the R4 architecture in the core network.
This multitude of Kapsch CarrierCom’s international projects shows that GSM-R has cross-border significance, for example for creating a joint railway standard and GSM-R is an important technology subject within the railway business. 79,300 km of rail have already been equipped with GSM-R in Europe, thereof 65,800 km are already in operation. In total 150,650 km of rail are planned to be equipped with digital wireless train communication in the coming years. Additionally, there are many other regions wanting to deploy GSM-R and these include South America, North Africa, Middle East, Near East, India and Australia.
"As a global market leader we have maintained our core competencies. We respond rapidly to specific railway customer demands and provide top expertise worldwide. This secures our continued success in the international GSM market", says Kari Kapsch, Kapsch CarrierCom’s CEO. "The most recent orders from Network Rail UK as well as from Lithuania and Austria confirm this. We will invest in this business in the future and continue to develop our expertise and solution portfolio. This will be highlighted by our existing competence centres in Vienna (responsible for GSM/GSM-R/UMTS Core), as well as the new acquired development centres in Immenstaad at Lake Constance (responsible for GSM-R IN) and in Paris (responsible for GSM/GSM-R/GPRS, EDGE Access)".
The global player continues its success in the international GSM-R market
In addition to its existing customers, Kapsch CarrierCom received multiple new orders this year. Within a framework of the acquisition of parts of Nortel’s Carrier Networks Division, Kapsch CarrierCom won two large orders. These two projects, one for the French railway (RFF) and the other for the Algerian railway, are currently being deployed.
Further large orders were received during the past weeks. Kapsch CarrierCom, together with Alpine Energie, was successful in winning an ÖBB frame order for tunnel wireless communication in Austria. In Lithuania, Kapsch CarrierCom is working on an important GSM-R project implementing a disaster recovery solution for Lithuania’s state railway. British Network Rail UK once again confirmed Kapsch’s worldwide expertise and placed a new order with Kapsch CarrierCom.
GSM-R offers a number of additional functions and enables the implementation of many applications such as ticket sales in the train, seat reservations as well as freight tracking. These applications present an interesting growth market for Kapsch CarrierCom. For this reason, Kapsch CarrierCom is permanently developing new solutions and enhancing existing ones.
Kapsch CarrierCom has the potential for further success based on numerous tenders
"Our new significant orders underline our considerable international success-story. Kapsch CarrierCom transformed itself from a regional supplier focused on Central and Southeastern Europe to a global GSM player. We continue to be on track for success with our 700 employees worldwide. We also believe that we have good chances to win the upcoming and ongoing tenders in Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Israel, Portugal and Spain", says Michel Clement, Kapsch CarrierCom AG’s Vice President GSM-R.
Kapsch CarrierCom is a global manufacturer and independent system integrator of telecommunication solutions for railway operators and providers of access, core and transmission networks. In seven R&D centers in Europe and Asia, Kapsch CarrierCom develops applications and services for next generation networks and innovative OSS/BSS solutions. In addition, Kapsch CarrierCom provides an end-to-end service spectrum, which ranges from consulting, designing, installing and integrating, to maintaining, operating and supporting entire networks.
With 70,000 track-kilometers covered by GSM-R, Kapsch CarrierCom is an internationally recognized specialist and partner for railway operators such as the French railway RFF, the German railway DB and Network Rail in the United Kingdom. In the public operator segment, Kapsch CarrierCom’s customers include service providers such as the companies of the Telekom Austria Group, eircom in Ireland and Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan. Kapsch CarrierCom is part of the Kapsch Group and has its headquarters in Vienna.