Among the features of the TetraFlex infrastructure highlighted by Damm are

• an IP65-protected housing allowed installation within limited spaces in tunnels under harsh environmental conditions, with extremely high temperature and humidity;
• a distributed network architecture, which answered the Metro’s requirement for no single point of failure;
• easy installation and limitless expansion potential, thanks to its IP-based architecture;
• full component redundancy;
• low power consumption of base stations.

Following the success of the initial installation, Moscow Metro is currently looking into extending the use of the TETRA system to include train control and telemetry data transfers.

Technology alliance

Damm’s TetraFlex technology is already in use in Russia in projects carried out by the Russian network provider and system integrator TetraSvyaz – with which Damm has now formed a strategic alliance.

In terms of subscriber numbers, TetraSvyaz is one of Russia’s largest communications operators. It has already built TETRA systems based on Damm infrastructure in north-western and central Russia and is bidding for further projects.
“Expanding our co-operation with Damm, world leader TETRA supplier and our strategic partner, lets us gather actual knowledge and successfully use advanced European technologies”, said Alexander Moldovanov, president of TetraSvyaz. “TetraSvyaz plans to expand its services outside of Russia and provide their own developed competitive applications for fast responding and emergency services.”


ON-BOARD RADIOS FOR MUMBAI'S NEW MONORAIL

A TETRA system has been selected to provide communications for Mumbai’s showpiece monorail project, the first in India. Complementing the city’s existing public transport network, the monorail is expected to relieve congestion in the area, improve connections and reduce travel time for commuters.

Radiocommunications contractor for the project is Consort Digital, an established TETRA systems integrator, which will be responsible for the supply, installation, integration and commissioning of the entire system. Train-borne radios will be provided by Sepura, and Consort will integrate then with the on-board systems. Sepura points out that its SRG mobiles offer 10 watts of RF power, providing a superior communications link to the nearest TETRA base stations – an important factor in Mumbai where signals can be obstructed by the city’s dense high-rise buildings.

Another feature of the SRG radio is its support for dual control consoles. With a console at each end of the trains, they can be driven in either direction without the need to move the radio equipment.

IP architecture

Consort is also installing TETRA network infrastructure from Damm. Based on Damm’s TetraFlex technology, this is a completely IP-based solution with distributed architecture which provides the fault tolerance required in a project of this kind. The Damm TetraFlex equipment is integrated to the telephony network, the public announcement system, on-board train communication system, centralized recording system and signalling system.

First phase of the Mumbai Monorail Project consists of two lines extending 19 kilometres, with 17 stations. It is being built for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority by the Malaysian company Scomi Engineering with its consortium partner Larsen & Toubro. When the service opens this year, the line will be operated with 15 sets of four-car trains running from 5 a.m. to midnight.

“Commissioning a high quality and reliable RCS is vital when meeting Scomi’s requirements for operational safety, reliability and efficiency for the monorail project”, commented Suhaimi Yaacob, president of Scomi India.


UNDERGROUND IN BRUSSELS

Every day, half a million travellers use the Brussels Metro, and the employees of the city’s transport operator MIVB do everything they can to ensure that their travel is as safe and enjoyable as possible – with the help of their TETRA radios.

In the Metro control room, nestled 18 metres below the streets of Brussels, a dozen employees monitor the entire network, closely following the position of Metro trains on the big board. Images are constantly fed in from 1500 cameras in the corridors and on the platforms of the system’s 69 stations, and the functioning of escalators, lifts and other installations is watched from here to.

Dispatchers in the control room communicate with the Metro drivers and station personnel via Astrid, the national TETRA-based radio network for Belgium’s public safety bodies. They use their radios both for day-to-day operations and for dealing with unexpected events – such as delays, a sudden flood of passengers in a station, or other incidents.

In addition, the MIVB deploys over 300 security agents in the Metro and on buses and trams. These are the inspectors who check travellers’ tickets, the prevention and security teams whose job is to increase the public’s sense of security, and the intervention teams who step in whenever there are problems. All of them are directed from the control room of the Security and Control business unit.
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