GSM-R technology for two new railway lines in Algeria. GSM-R is expected to enable the Algerian railway infrastructure agency, Agence Nationale d'Etudes et de Suivi de la Réalisation des Investissements Ferroviaires (ANESRIF), to improve safety and increase average train speeds to reduce travel times while reducing operational costs. Nortel's technology will also help increase network interoperability and support new voice applications running over the GSM-R network such as railway emergency and group conference calls.

ANESRIF is managing the modernization of the Algerian railway system, including the construction of new railway lines, signaling systems and other railway equipment. The introduction of GSM-R on the two new railway lines at Tabia-Mecheria and Bordj Bouarreridj - M'Sila will extend the first GSM-R network awarded to Nortel in 2006 for the El-Gourzi-Touggourt line in Eastern Algeria. The new lines are managed by Algeria's SNTF (Société Nationale des Transports Ferroviares), the first African railway operator to adopt the GSM-R standard.

"Nortel's global leadership in GSM-R is the result of an early and significant investment in this technology which has been developed to meet the communications needs of leading railways worldwide like the Algerian ANESRIF and SNTF", said Michel Clement, president, Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Nortel. "The solution will help ANESRIF and SNTF provide a better, safer service at a lower operational cost, helping them meet their modernization plans to create the most modern and advanced railway network in Africa."

GSM-R helps increase the efficiency and safety of the railway by supporting reliable and secure communications among railway operational staff, including drivers, dispatchers, train engineers and station controllers. GSM-R is part of the new European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) standard and carries the signalling information directly to the train driver, enabling faster train speeds and increased traffic density while maintaining a high level of safety.

Nortel's GSM-R solution is interoperable and highly flexible, supporting signaling systems from different vendors already deployed along the Algerian rail network. This new Nortel deployment includes integrating the GSM-R radio system to ANESRIF's core network, GSM-R terminals such as handhelds and cab radios, as well as related telecom services for the railway lines.

About ANESRIF

In July 2005 the National Agency of Studies and of Follow-up of the Realization of the Railway Investment (ANESRIF) was created to materialize the ambitious modernization plan of the Algerian railway sector. The ANESRIF, publicly-owned establishment related to commercial and industrial nature, and under the supervision of the Minister of Transport, has management responsibility of the railway building sites, its role is to take care of the proper realization of the projects; and to ensure their delivery within the allowed time.

Information Source:    Nortel