ATDI successfully secured a contract from an Indian Railway operator to implement an advanced
LTE-R communications system to enhance train safety. Spearheaded by ATDI's regional partner, Fastech Telecommunications, this achievement represents a significant milestone in the industry. The project is aptly named 'Kavach', meaning 'shield' in Sanskrit, and is being overseen by the Indian Railway Institute for Signal Engineering and Telecommunications, or IRISET.
Recognising the importance of a planning tool for their prototype system, Fastech proposed ATDI's HTZ Communications. Amidst stiff competition from other market players, Fastech faced a challenging task in showcasing the capabilities of HTZ. They tackled this challenge head-on by adopting a transparent approach and delivering a successful RF plan for a sample section of the railway line using HTZ Communications. This demonstration effectively highlighted the superior benefits of HTZ over rival tools.
The decision to award the project to the Fastech/ATDI team was based on the identified product advantages like the full deterministic propagation model library, the robust support provided by ATDI, and the cohesive coordination and dedicated effort demonstrated by Fastech throughout the entire process. This success underscores the commitment of both Fastech and ATDI to deliver innovative solutions to customers in the railway telecommunications sector.
Fastech
Fastech Telecommunications is ATDI’s regional partner in India, providing local support and expertise to customers across the continent. They focus on radio frequency (RF) planning tools and services, providing consultancy, integration, and support services for ATDI's products, and helping customers optimise their telecommunications networks for efficiency and performance.
Migrating from GSM-R to LTE-R
While GSM-R has been the go-to for many railway operators, times are changing. Many now look to LTE-R, which offers improved coverage and reliability, enhanced support for multimedia and broadband services, interoperability, and smoother migration to URLLC and IoT.
The migration process varies depending on the infrastructure readiness, regulatory considerations, and budget constraints. However, the trend toward LTE-R adoption is driven by the desire to leverage advanced communication technologies to enhance railway operations, improve safety, and provide better service to passengers.
