On conclusion of these innovations, the

current analogue radio communication systems

in the Channel Tunnel will be replaced by

a digital system, GSM-R (Global System for

Mobile Communications – Railway), a com -

ponent of ERTMS (European Rail Traffic

Management System).

Always at the cutting edge, Eurotunnel is

seeking to provide crews responsible for

maintenance or operations with advanced

technological equipment so that, when needed

for cooperative work, communication can be

rapid and effective. Tunnels with traffic as

intense as the Channel Tunnel are rare – it has a

train pass through every 3 minutes on average.

This high level of daily performance is made

possible precisely because the tunnel is

equipped with a very high performance

communication system.

When the Tunnel was being built,

Eurotunnel chose to rely on technologies which

were already proven at the time. Therefore the

radio communication systems installed by

Motorola at the beginning of the 1990s are

based on analogue radio standards:● A ‘concession radio’ system, a private 3RP

shared resources radio network to standard

MPT1327 ensures radio communication for

general use over the whole Concession.

This limited capacity system covers all

of the three tunnels, through 150km of

radiating cable.● A ‘track-to-train’ system to British Rail

European Railway ReviewVolume 18, Issue 1, 2012

Michel BoudoussierChief Operating Officer, Eurotunnel

Eurotunnel isswitching to digitaland remains at the forefront oftechnology

SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUPPLEMENT22

Eurotunnel has decided to install the latest radio communication technologies inthe Channel Tunnel by the year 2014, to provide total interoperability with thewhole Trans-European railway. It is in this context that greater cooperation hascome about with RFF (Réseau Ferré de France), and a contract amounting toapproximately €11 million to pool equipment (network, fixed terminal servers)and maintenance. This agreement is part of the programme to renew theChannel Tunnel’s communication systems being implemented with Alcatel-Lucent since an initial contract for €21.5 million was signed in December 2009.

boudoussier_Layout 1 25/01/2012 10:57 Page 1

standard (BR 1845) ensures communication

between the rail control centres and the

train drivers travelling in the concession.

This system covers the two running tunnels,

with 100km of dedicated radiating cable.

Eurotunnel shuttles are equipped with cab

radios to ensure communication through the

track-to-train radio and the concession

radio. At the same time, the locomotives on

inter national trains intended to go through

the Channel Tunnel (currently Eurostar

and goods trains) are equipped with so-called

ITR cab radios (‘International Train

Radio’), developed and custom-made so

that trains which have them can communicate

on the UK network (+ Eurotunnel) and on

the continent.

The European Commission issued a

directive defining GSM-R so that all infra -

structure managers can have a single

communication system in Europe that is

compatible between the different railways.

Keen to develop its traffic on a European

scale, Eurotunnel immediately joined this

initiative, taking a technological leap forward

and embracing digital.

The contracts, with Alcatel-Lucent on the

one hand and RFF on the other, are intended

to develop the systems installed at the

beginning of the 1990s in order to overcome

the following difficulties:● As analogue radios are gradually being

replaced by digital systems, it is more and

more difficult to find replacement parts to

repair electronic cards● Some pieces of equipment and software

were developed specifically as part of the

Channel Tunnel project● Radiating cables that were custom-

made to meet the requirements of the

initial project specification have in part

deteriorated in the tunnel environment

causing excessive line losses and radio

communication quality problems.

The partnership with RFF will also facilitate the

installation of an open, interoperable European

network for both freight and high-speed trains;

and it is opening the door to exchanges of

knowledge between the public railways and the

private infrastructure operators.

Eurotunnel has always kept its infrastructure

at the best performance level and thus wishes to

facilitate a real opening up in competition of UK

bound traffic.

Another advantage is the opportunity of

sharing the GSM-R core network with a

neighbouring railway in order to reduce

investment and operating/maintenance costs

and benefiting from the services of a tried and

tested structure. Preliminary studies have also

confirmed the feasibility of connecting the

Tunnels’ own equipment to the central

equipment of the neighbouring railways.

It is therefore on the basis of connecting the

GSM-R infrastructure belonging to Eurotunnel

with the central equipment in the GSM-R

network belonging to RFF that Alcatel-Lucent

has started the design phases relating to the

installation of the GSM-R infrastructure. This

GSM-R infrastructure, operational comm -

issioning of which is planned for the middle of

2014, must also include requirements for future

development, in particular those relating to the

control and command of trains through

ETCS (European Train Control System) Level 2,

which in the future will replace the railway

signalling system.

Radio coverage of the running tunnels is

ensured by sections of radiating cable of

approximately 750m. This radiating cable, the

coating of which is adapted to the tunnel

environment, is installed at a height of

approximately 2m, which optimises signal

coverage on board trains travelling in tunnels.

The deployment of sections of radiating cable in

the running tunnels has already started. New

supports have first been installed over the whole

of the section concerned so that the radiating

cable can be installed and fixed. Specific work

platforms, installed on flat wagons and

integrated in Eurotunnel’s works trains, have

been designed to perform this work in the

running tunnel environment.

The work is scheduled to be performed

during running tunnel maintenance slots which

are over weekend nights, i.e. three nights of

approximately 6 hours work every week.

The radio signal will be carried to the

radiating cable by optical repeaters installed in

the service tunnel technical rooms, but also fibre

optics which will be deployed in the same place.

This architecture will minimise the number of

BTS sites (base stations) in the tunnel.

The GSM-R network architecture will be

completely redundant so that, if there is ever any

disruption or malfunction, another device can

take over. The communication service will

therefore always be available and operational.

Likewise, interconnection with the RFF GSM-R

core network (in the Paris region) will be via two

transmission links with separate physical routes.

On a functional level, a user group has been

created to verify that the requirements of the

various trades (drivers, railway controllers,

maintenance, etc.) who will have to use the

communication services will all be satisfied.

The GSM-R must also be integrated in the

environment of technical systems used by

Eurotunnel (rail traffic management system,

telephone system) so that it will work in

harmony with existing equipment.

Various tests are being performed as the

European Railway Reviewwww.europeanrailwayreview.com Volume 18, Issue 1, 2012

SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUPPLEMENT 23

Eurotunnel GSM-R Network

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deployment progresses in order to ensure that

the equipment installed is reaching the required

performance levels. This phase will be followed

by more extensive tests locally; first of all

propagation in the tunnel will be examined,

then propagation on the terminal, amongst

other things. In a second phase, tests will be

performed on a global level, followed by on

Completion tests when the various elements of

the GSM-R system (infrastructure, RFF core

network, train equipment) will be tested in a real

situation. This phase will have been preceded by

a period of training for future users and

adjustment of the operating procedures.

Commissioning of the GSM-R has to be

prepared for in liaison with the neighbouring

infrastructure managers (RFF and Network

Rail) and the railway operators using the

tunnel (Eurostar, DB, EWS) in order to ensure

continuity of radio communication for the trains

using the tunnel.

On conclusion of this operational comm -

issioning, which is planned for the middle of

2014, Alcatel-Lucent will ensure operation and

maintenance of Eurotunnel’s GSM-R

infrastructure for two years and RFF will provide

the GSM-R core network services.

The GSM-R equipment in Eurotunnel rolling

stock was commissioned to the Siemens UK

Mobility division in March 2010. After the initial

design phases and the surveys performed on

the different types of rolling stock, the detailed

design and installation studies are underway

and will end with a prototype being produced.

With the introduction of digital tech -

nologies and GSM-R (Global System for Mobile

communication for Railways), the railway

network is modernising and moving towards a

communication system that has greater

potential. The Channel Tunnel, a unique

transport system subject to the most intense

traffic in the world (400 trains a day in peak

periods), is constantly inventing new solutions

to increase the quality of service while

facilitating the work of the operational crews.

The choice of the latest telecommunications

technology constitutes a real asset, combining

both progress and competitiveness.

European Railway ReviewVolume 18, Issue 1, 2012

SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUPPLEMENT24

Eurotunnel is the fastest cross-channel operator, with a crossing timeof just 35 minutes with up to four departures an hour at peak times.

Michel Boudoussier is Chief OperatingOfficer of Eurotunnel, in charge of theChannel Tunnel Operations. He studied atthe Ecole Normale Supérieure andbecame an Engineer at the Corps desMines. Following several appointmentsin French Ministries, he spent a large

part of his career with SNCF before joining Eurotunnel.

BIOGRAPHY

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