The UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has made field measurements to develop criteria for compatibility between International Mobil Telecommunications (IMT) and Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway (GSM-R).
The purpose of the measurements, the first of their kind in the Middle East, is to guarantee good quality of telecommunication services provided to individuals travelling by trains and that railway services are affected.
TDRA is taking proactive steps to enhance the readiness of the ICT sector for future smart transportation and improve traffic management. These proactive steps are aimed to provide high-quality services and enhance the well-being of society members.
Such measurements will enable train passengers to obtain high-quality communication and Internet services. They will help detect and neutralize any harmful interference that may lead to disruption or affect the quality of the communication services.
Tariq Al Awadhi, Executive Director of Spectrum Affairs said: “The TDRA is keen to preserve and invest the frequency spectrum resources in the most appropriate way and provide the best services for the happiness of all of the Emirati society members. Competent teams in TDRA monitor frequency spectrum using the latest technologies to prevent any harmful interference affecting the telecommunication services.
“Today, through these measurements, we have ensured the compatibility of IMT systems with GSM-Railway, which helps provide the best services without any conflict or harmful interference among systems used. The positive results we have obtained confirm the UAE's readiness for the future of smart transportation, and that the UAE possesses advanced infrastructure to serve this vital sector."
These measurements are part of an assignment from the Technical Committee of the GCC Council Telecommunications Technical Office to TDRA. The committee requested to form a small GCC team headed by Saleh Al Masabi, Director of Spectrum Services at TDRA, to carry out these measurements. This assignment stems from the high trust placed in and national cadres of TDRA.
The study included field measurements of all bands designated for mobile services, such as 2G, 3G, and 4G. Etihad train route in the Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi, was chosen to conduct a study of the mutual impact of the two systems, i.e. IMT and GSM- R.
The study concluded that the standards used at the current time can guarantee efficient work of the two systems without any harmful interferences. Furthermore, the current standards guarantee sufficient frequency ranges, broadcasting power of 30 to 50 watts, continuous coordination between service providers. – TradeArabia News Service