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THE ROLE OF SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY RELIABLE CONNECTIVITY TO SUPPORT EFFICIENT RAIL OPERATIONS

In their ambition for greater The challenge faced by many rail Indeed, in Europe, satellite efficiency and improved safety, networks operating today is that is being considered a key rail operators are always looking large areas of their rail networks component of the Future to deploy more advanced have coverage dark spots Railway Mobile Communication technologies across their rail where terrestrial networks fail System (FRMCS) as countries networks. These technologies to provide reliable connectivity, deploy the European Rail Traffic are numerous, ranging from causing operation centres to lose Management System (ERTMS). advanced train control systems visibility of locomotives and two- This FRMCS system will ultimately and next-generation signalling, to way communication to become replace the existing GSM-R distributed power and intelligent practically impossible. network and depends on highly cruise control. Satellite is an important tool in reliable, ubiquitous connectivity, However; for this digital the arsenal of any reliable rail which the appropriate satellite transformation to truly progress, communications network. On the services can provide. rail operators need to be able one hand it eliminates coverage This paper addresses the to access reliable connectivity. dark spots in a cost-effective way, ongoing challenges of providing Reliable connectivity enables while it also serves as a highly ubiquitous connectivity to both data transfer and voice reliable backup communications rail networks and assesses communication between system when terrestrial the most comprehensive, locomotives and operations connectivity networks fail. economical solutions employing centres and is vital to help In the past satellite-enabled satellite-based technology for maximise safety and efficiency. solutions that provide ‘always-on’ rail operators and technology connectivity for rail operations providers. were deemed cost-prohibitive or overly reliant on unreliable hardware, but much has changed in recent years. CONNECTIVITY OPTION ONE: THE LIMITATIONS OF TERRESTRIAL CONNECTIVITY

For most rail operators, using Coverage dark spots tend existing terrestrial infrastructure to appear at the limits of to support connectivity and terrestrial connectivity, where communications across their coverage is either weak and networks has tended to be the highly unreliable or completely default option. non-existent. This is usually in However, there are major remote or rural environments limitations to terrestrial with low population density, connectivity that pose or where the terrain makes challenges for the rail industry, the construction of cellular an industry that by its very infrastructure challenging. nature operates across some While the safety of train of the world’s most remote operators and maintenance regions where consistent crews is a key concern here, it is communications previously also clear that as rail operators could not be guaranteed. For rely more and more on the use of instance, there are roughly technology to improve capacity 32,622 kilometres of railway and efficiency, a lack of reliable networks in Brazil alone , terrestrial communication is a with much of these networks barrier to enhancing capabilities. operating in coverage dark This problem is compounded spots where locomotives cannot when crews lack the means communicate with control to contact headquarters to centres. These dark spots not report on factors that cause only leave control centres unable delays, such as maintenance to track locomotives when requirements which lead to travelling through these regions, increased network downtime and but drivers and maintenance operational inefficiency. crews are often also unequipped to make emergency contact when they need it most. CONNECTIVITY OPTION TWO: THE ROLE OF PRIVATE TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS

Where existing terrestrial However one of the clear Despite this, private networks networks do not provide reliable downsides to this is that the clearly have their place in coverage, some rail operators upfront capital cost is usually the overall connectivity mix, have turned to commissioning very high, anywhere up to especially in areas that other their own private terrestrial ~$700,000 USD per kilometre of forms of connectivity cannot networks to plug the gap. This track. The other major issue with reach, such as in tunnels. In these option usually sees the operator this approach is the reliability situations, private terrestrial or infrastructure manager pay of the infrastructure: in areas connectivity can be installed to install connectivity such as of high risk outages are not and then backhauled, either fibre cable alongside the track, or uncommon, and could be caused by publicly available terrestrial Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) by environmental factors such or satellite connectivity at a networks, with appropriate as landslides or even issues suitable point. infrastructure to ‘backhaul’ the such as wildlife damaging data to the network or ‘cloud’. fibre cables. In some cases The advantage of this approach where the communications are is that once the upfront capital critical to the operation of the cost of the infrastructure is paid train, satellite can be used as a for, the ongoing connectivity highly reliable backup to private cost is relatively inexpensive. terrestrial networks. CONNECTIVITY OPTION THREE: DIFFERENT TYPES OF SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY

With rail networks often located It is important to note that not all In contrast, geosynchronous beyond the reach of terrestrial satellite communications are the earth orbit (GEO) satellites orbit communication networks, same. The demand for satellite at an altitude of approximately the industry has often been connectivity is increasing all 35,800km above mean sea level. discouraged from investing in the time and new applications Due to their lower altitudes, providing connectivity to their are constantly emerging, and LEO and MEO satellites do not assets because of the high cost because of this a range of synchronise with the earth’s of installing and maintaining satellite services are available rotation and orbit the earth more terrestrial infrastructure. that differ in their characteristics rapidly than GEO satellites. For With this in mind, there is a key and qualities. A key topic of a LEO satellite an orbital period role for satellite networks to discussion is centered on Low takes roughly 128 minutes, play in supporting cost-effective, Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, whereas for MEO satellites it can ubiquitous connectivity across and understanding how they take between 2-8 hours. This rail networks. By leveraging compare with Geostationary means that multiple LEO and the latest satellite-enabled (GEO) satellites is crucial to MEO satellites are required in technologies, rail operators determining your approach. order create a constellation that will have the tools they need to LEO and MEO (Medium Earth can provide seamless coverage monitor and collect data on a Orbit) satellites both come under across the earth. Contrastingly, much broader set of parameters the veil of non-geostationary- GEO satellites take one day to – from the real-time location orbit (NGSO) satellites. LEO complete a single orbit, which of locomotives to the position satellites orbit at an altitude means that it moves in line with of maintenance crews – all below 2,000km above mean the earth’s rotation. contributing towards improved sea level, while MEO satellites Although in principle GEO network visibility and increased commonly orbit at 20,000km satellites have a higher latency operational efficiencies. above the earth’s surface but (the speed it takes for messages can orbit anywhere in the region to be relayed) than LEO satellites, between 2,000km-35,800km. the reality is actually more complex. For a LEO satellite constellation to achieve lower latency, the operator must have a sufficient number of landing Further differences can be seen baondwidth c mmunications. stations to collect the data back in their respective use cases. L-band is perfect for critical on earth, which then relays the LEO satellites are commonly communications and telemetry message to its destination, in deployed for communications services on locomotives, with this case the train or trackside purposes and the transmission Inmarsat’s L-band BGAN services application. If the operator’s of scientific data, while MEO being used on thousands of nearest ground station is a long satellites cover a variety of locomotives globally. way from the destination, the uses including communications In contrast, Ku-band uses latency experienced can be and navigation. In contrast, frequencies in the 12 to 18 drastically higher. GEO satellites are primarily GHz range, and Ka-band uses Geostationary satellites have used for services including frequencies in the 26.5 to 40 earned their name due to the telecommunications and GHz range. With these higher fact that they appear in precisely weather monitoring. frequencies you can extract the same point in the sky at any Satellites can also use a more bandwidth, which means a given moment. Because they are variety of radio and microwave higher data transfer rate and, constantly in the field of view frequencies, but international therefore, higher performance. and their orbit is higher only agreements aimed at minimising However, both are susceptible to three GEO satellites are needed communications disorder restrict rain fade or the absorption of to provide global coverage. their operation to specific bands. radio frequency signals by This means that hardware is The most popular service bands atmospheric rain, snow, or ice, cheaper compared to LEO/MEO are L-band, Ka-band and Ku-band, which means that coverage can tracking antennas which require while others include C-band sometimes drop. This is an mechanical moving parts to and X-band which the latter is important factor to consider track satellites, a secondary reserved for military use. when choosing communications antenna ready to track the L-band uses frequencies in for safety services, resiliency or next satellite for seamless the 1 to 2GHz range, which remote operations. connectivity or expensive means that these services are electronic components for non- global and resilient to adverse mechanically steered antennas. weather conditions, so offer very reliable, but relatively low CHOOSING THE RIGHT SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY PARTNER

It’s clear that in terms of Network coverage capabilities and suitability Network provide coverage to the whole of for specific use cases, the track? understanding the differences and limitations of different satellite systems is crucial. Reliability Satellite operators offer a How often will the service be online diverse set of services with allowing critical communications? some offering one type of constellation and service band, Speed in a particular area, while others Does the service provide the speed of data offer multi-band services with transfer you need? various constellations for different use cases. Ideally, rail operators should therefore Hardware be looking to partner with a Is the hardware the right form factor to be satellite provider that offers a mounted on a locomotive? How robust is global multi-band service so that it and will it withstand the harsh levels of they have access to different vibration, heat and dust atop a locomotive? speeds and capabilities that will ensure specific needs and circumstances are catered for. Compatibility Due to the unique nature of Can the hardware integrate with other on- the requirements amongst rail board systems with ease? operators, there are several key factors that also need to be at the forefront of considerations when selecting a satellite partner. NETWORK RELIABILITY The level of reliability a satellite provider provides is paramount. It doesn’t matter if they theoretically have coverage over an area if there isn’t a connection between your locomotive and the satellite. LEO satellites do not synchronise with the earth’s rotation and COVERAGE cannot always be ‘seen’ by terrestrial user terminals. Because of this Firstly it is necessary to establish whether a satellite provider can connectivity can periodically fail, making it poorly suited to mobile provide coverage to the whole of your current rail network. Working use cases where data needs to be constantly collected. Each LEO with a satellite provider who does not have a satellite or series of satellite manages the terminal handover to the next satellite as satellites positioned over the entirety of your region is a non-starter. it exits from view, and if there is no available capacity on the next However, you should be mindful that as rail networks grow and satellite then connectivity will fail. multi-national services, agreements and standards proliferate, it will Capacity is also restricted on some LEO constellations around be beneficial to work with a provider who does not just cover your the world due to interference with scientific radio astronomy country but has coverage over a wide area and is involved in global installations, resulting in less channels being available, less power standards. This will reduce potential complications and spend as rail provided to close satellite links, and in the worst cases, dark spots networks and operators collaborate and converge. over those regions. In contrast, because GEO satellites move in line with the earth’s rotation, they are ideal for mobile use cases, including tracking the position of locomotives and maintenance crews in real-time. Inmarsat owns and operates 13 satellites in geostationary orbit, which together can support the ubiquitous connectivity across SPEED global rail networks needed for both static and mobile use cases. The key here is finding a provider who can deliver the right speeds for your use cases. A locomotive’s telemetry and voice communications will not require the same speeds as a passenger who is looking to watch video content. There is little point in spending money on a service which allows fast speeds where a simpler service will save money. With mobile satellite communications there is also a trade-off between speed and the size and type of terminal used. Speeds, and correspondingly terminal size, can increase to where it becomes difficult to fit a single large terminal on a train, with it becoming necessary to fit multiple smaller terminals to meet bandwidth and speed needs. HARDWARE Developments in satellite communications now mean that satellite networks usually require just a terminal to be set up on locomotives or other assets for them to be connected. However, due to the nature of rail operations it is imperative that any hardware is able to withstand bad weather or the effects of harsh environments such as dust ingress. For example, the Cobham EXPLORER 323 is a highly durable, low form factor terminal that has an integrated antenna and receiver, meaning only a rooftop unit is needed and there are no moving parts. This means that it is ideally designed for mounting on locomotives operating in the harshest environments, offering rail operators the mobility and reliability they need. A PROVEN TRACK RECORD Above all, it is absolutely vital to work with a satellite connectivity partner with a proven track record of success in the industry, and one that has a committed to a future roadmap for maintaining their network with a sustainable business model. The last thing any rail operator wants to do is invest in satellite infrastructure that subsequently becomes redundant. USE CASES FOR SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY CASE STUDY: RUMO RAIL CONNECTIVITY Rumo Rail is responsible for managing 14,000km of railway track in Brazil. As most of its network passed through remote areas with unreliable or non-existent network coverage, train drivers, railway engineers and transport managers had no way ON LOCOMOTIVES of communicating effectively. Through our partner Globalsat Group, 300 of Rumo’s cargo trains were equipped with Cobham EXPLORER 325 BGAN terminals, EXPLORER Mobile Gateways and the PRISM PTT+ service. This solution has enabled the accurate real-time tracking of each train as well as reliable voice and data communication between drivers, maintenance crews and regional control centres. The connectivity improvements being brought by mobile satellite communications have improved Rumo’s operations, making rail a more reliable and effective transport proposition that the Brazilian RAIL TELEMETRY AND COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTION economy can depend on. Inmarsat’s Rail Telemetry Typically, the connectivity is extends coverage beyond the and Communications integrated and optimised with line of sight and ensures you are Solution enables the real- other on-board systems such able to access the most cost- time transfer of telemetry as train control, signalling or effective connectivity channel data from locomotives to diagnostic applications. to communicate through. In the control centre, as well The solution utilises low form addition to real-time data on as the ability to extend voice factor terminals, such as location, the solution also coverage for drivers and staff the Cobham EXPLORER 323 enables visibility of engine status beyond the range of existing mentioned earlier. This hardware and the direction in which the radio networks. Utilising our has no moving parts, with an locomotive is heading, creating a satellite-enabled BGAN the electronically steered antenna full picture of situations faced by solution provides highly which makes for greater crews in real-time. reliable connectivity across the reliability in harsh environments, The results already speak for network, covering dark spots in where issues such as dust themselves when it comes to terrestrial coverage as well as ingress are common. the use of these new satellite providing a reliable backup if technologies, with the Explorer existing networks fail. This The BGAN terminals are linked to the PRISM Push-to-Talk (PTT) 323 terminal and the PRISM PTT ensures telemetry data points radio system operating across such as location, speed, radio communications system to extend the reach of existing Inmarsat’s BGAN satellite network heading and engine and featuring in a number of diagnostics are always radios. PRISM PTT is a smart system that has the capability case studies. Operators such as available to the control centre Rumo Rail in Brazil, for example, operator. to employ a least-cost routing approach to switch between are rapidly benefitting from this the cheapest and most stable technology, with increasingly connectivity link, be it UHF, safe, efficient operations being VHF, 3G/4G and satellite. This seen across its network. CASE STUDY: CASE STUDY: ERTMS AND THE FUTURE AUTONOMOUS TRAIN CONTROL RAIL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM In the world’s most remote regions, operators are increasingly turning to autonomous train technology to run efficient operations. In areas The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is a such as Western Australia, the technology is increasingly being harmonised system for train control that is being rolled out across adopted by heavy haul freight rail to run driverless trains, controlled Europe. The Future Railway Communications System (FRCS), which is thousands of miles away from a central operations centre. This allows replacing GSM-R as the underpinning communication network, will the rail operator to run the network at maximum capacity, without need to provide ubiquitous coverage in the most economical way. The the need to deploy human resources, reducing costs and improving use of satellite combined with existing cellular networks provides the safety outcomes. ideal solution for ubiquitous coverage without the need for erecting additional dedicated terrestrial communications infrastructure, Highly reliable connectivity is a vital pre-requisite for autonomous which would soon become very expensive when filling all the train control systems and Inmarsat’s technology has been used in communication gaps on European rail lines. combination with terrestrial networks. For one such project, initially Inmarsat’s BGAN service was intended to be a highly reliable back To achieve this, working with our partners Telepazio, Inmarsat is up to a Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) system that would provide partnering with Hitachi Rail STS to pilot the use of a satellite/cellular primary connectivity for an autonomous train. solution with satellite positioning and IP based communications. The solution utilises satellite connectivity combined with the 2G-3G Today, Inmarsat’s BGAN service has been deployed on 170 SATELLITE RAIL SIGNALLING cellular networks of three mobile operators. Inmarsat’s BGAN, which locomotives and has successfully operated as the primary telecom provides a reliable, IP-based real-time connectivity service, was bearer on over 500,000 Km for the Automatic Train Protection - ATP Next generation signalling the terrestrial network fail. As selected to provide connectivity to the trains, in conjunction with and Automatic Train Operation – ATO systems. The use of the BGAN systems are increasingly being 5G networks are being rolled Vodafone’s M2M Global Cellular Network. service has therefore allowed the rail operator to successfully run its deployed by rail operators to out the world over, satellite has autonomous train system, without the need to install costly terrestrial increase capacity, improve safety a clear role to play in the mix of The latency of the BGAN service is similar to the existing GSM-R communications infrastructure on every Km of the line and its and reliability. Increasingly, rail connectivity options to achieve network, removing barriers to the use of satellite with ERTMS. success makes it a benchmark in satellite connectivity to rail. operators are relying less on ubiquitous coverage. Francesco Rispoli, Manager of Satellite Technology at Hitachi Rail STS traditional fixed block signalling commented, “Satellite technology combined with cellular networks, Inmarsat’s highly reliable L-band equipment and are moving to is the most effective, lowest cost option to xe tend the ERTMS to network that operates with more dynamic moving block local rail networks. Inmarsat’s BGAN terminal was installed on an 99.9% satellite availability is signalling systems in order to operational train on March 2014, and in the period up to the beginning providing rail operators with increase capacity on existing of 2017, that train travelled roughly 150,000km. The terminal, the ability to implement next track. As these systems evolve, however, showed no-ill effects and was successfully operated and generation signalling systems the trend is heading towards tested for 10,000km between the stations of Cagliari, San Gavino, and across their networks, today. delivering signalling and Olbia, in what was the first largescale roll-out test in Europe.” With low latency periods that communications straight to the match the capability of cellular train cab wherever it might be, communications, satellite even moving to fully autonomous opens up the possibility of train control solutions. All of deploying next generation this relies on having completely signalling systems in hard to reliable connectivity from reach areas. For deployments of operations centre to train that communication networks that you can be sure will not fail. can truly provide ubiquitous Whilst terrestrial connectivity connectivity, satellite should is the primary communications interoperate with existing method, satellite has a major terrestrial connectivity to provide role to play in filling gaps in a low cost, multi bearer approach coverage and also providing a which utilises the cheapest highly reliable back-up should stable connection. CASE STUDY: VALEC CONNECTIVITY Valec, an organisation that builds, maintains and operates Brazilian railways, was hampered by intermittent terrestrial connectivity and older radio technology when trying to communicate with maintenance crews. This restricted the agility of Valec: rather than being able to react flexibly to events happening along the ON OTHER ASSETS line and being able to adjust resource allocation accordingly by communicating with drivers, it instead left the team with only a paper-based system as a guarantee of their whereabouts. To address these challenges, vehicles were equipped with satellite- enabled push-to-talk (PTT) handsets, allowing them to communicate with the control centre. The PTT handsets were powered by BGAN terminals integrated into the vehicles by Globalsat Group and connected to the highly reliable Inmarsat L-band network, which during initial testing proved to have more than 99% availability, even MAINTENANCE CREW CONNECTIVITY on a moving vehicle. This satellite-enabled solution enhanced Valec’s capacity to see A further challenge is ensuring maintenance crews must rely controlled via an easy to use These latest innovations in exactly where maintenance vehicles are at any given time, and to the constant communication on publicly available terrestrial app which makes it quick and satellite-enabled maintenance communicate reliably with drivers throughout the length of the track. between control centres and networks which may mean the easy for crews to establish crew connectivity ensure This has helped them to work not just more efficiently, but also much maintenance crews operating nearest reliable signal is miles connectivity for critical voice that all the necessary data on more safely. remotely along the rail network. away from the point at which the and internet applications. maintenance crew vehicles, such Considering the sheer distances crew is working. Depending on as their location and their current involved and the scale of the the needs of the crew, satellite Ƈ Equipping maintenance job status, is being constantly work at hand, having reliable solutions could include: vehicles with a mobile fed through to the operations satellite terminal to provide centre. This means that if there and constant communication Ƈ Handheld satellite phones, internet access and voice is an issue on the network the between maintenance crews, which operate in the over IP (see below). operator instantly knows which trains and control centres is key. same way as a regular If control centres are unable to available crew is closest, and is cellphone, but provide voice Inmarsat and its partners communicate with maintenance able to fix the issue as quickly connectivity anywhere, have provided connectivity crews in real-time, this not only and efficiently as possible. for example Inmarsat’s solutions to maintenance crews presents rail companies with featuring rugged, low form factor IsatPhone2 potential safety concerns, but terminals, such as the Cobham also hinders their ability to Ƈ Portable Wi-Fi hotspots over EXPLORER 323, combined with ensure maintenance issues on satellite using a fully portable a satellite-enabled push-to-talk the network are being addressed terminal which integrates (PTT) handset system that links efficiently and downtime kept to with a phone, tablet or laptop to the terminal to provide voice a minimum. to allow crews to talk, text communication. The solution Satellite is a cost-effective and access the internet enables maintenance crews to stay in constant contact with method to ensure maintenance independently of cellular and central base command and crews can keep connected, fixed networks. Inmarsat’s operations centres wherever wherever they are located. BGAN service provides Without the use of satellite, they are. this functionality and is WAGON AND CARGO MONITORING Many rail operators have huge attached to specific locomotives, temperature and humidity of inventories of rolling stock monitoring may be achieved a consignment in a particular including locomotives and through the use of a long range wagon in order to prevent waste wagons, and understanding network, with data from multiple or damage. It is also a vitally the location and status of wagons aggregated and sent via important security measure these assets lays a foundation satellite from a single point, or in to combat theft, providing the for improving efficiencies and this case a satellite terminal. If operator with constant visibility reducing costs. Depending on the the wagons to be monitored will across all wagons carrying high- specific technology employed, need to connect independently value goods. real-time monitoring of wagons from each other, then a satellite Inmarsat’s IDP service is a can amongst other outcomes terminal can be mounted on proven, highly reliable and reduce theft, enable predictive each asset independently. high-performance two-way and targeted maintenance, Inmarsat’s satellite-enabled messaging service that works or allow real-time condition Wagon and Cargo Monitoring consistently worldwide using monitoring of goods in transit. Solution provides rail companies a single device, enabling rail Ubiquitous connectivity is a vital with flexible, real-time monitoring companies to use a wide range pre-requisite to successfully of their assets out in the field, no of asset tracking applications achieving this, with wagons often matter where they are located. By across their rail networks. being stored or moved through using Inmarsat’s L-band IsatData The terminal has a low power remote locations where cellular Pro (IDP) service, rail companies consumption that makes it perfect communications are unreliable. are able to track and monitor for use on assets in remote The type of communications fixed or mobile assets globally locations, and ensures data infrastructure deployed will and measure the exact conditions transfer on the move if required. depend on the exact use case encountered by a wagon in real- and the location of the wagon time. This is particularly useful when monitoring is required. For if you have a shipment of food, example, if the challenge is to for example, which requires the monitor wagons in transit when operator to closely monitor the CASE STUDY: FLOOD AND NATURAL DISASTER MONITORING Many regions of the world are susceptible to natural disasters such as flooding, tsunamis and earthquakes. Many affected areas are very remote and lack reliable communications, with terrestrial communications vulnerable to damage. Inmarsat’s BGAN service has been deployed in many regions across the world as an early warning system to prevent natural disasters from turning into a humanitarian crisis. For these remote locations, power is often not available and the BGAN service is deployed with solar power in an integrated unit meaning it can operate independently from any other infrastructure. This setup is typically combined with sensors such as water level sensors and video cameras to give the operator clear early warning of any issues. As a complete standalone unit with rugged design the deployment is both cheaper and ultimately more reliable than extending terrestrial TRACKSIDE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING connectivity infrastructure to these remote sites. Railway tracks, particularly those manually, with inspections being Inmarsat can integrate and work in remote areas, can be prone to infrequent and a significant drain with a wide range of sensors, damage from natural disasters on time and resource due to travel. connecting them via Long Range such as flooding or landslides. Satellite connectivity Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) If left unchecked, such disasters combined with the latest to an Intelligent Edge Gateway, can cause accidents with dire sensor technology such as which aggregates data before it repercussions for worker and piezometers or water level is sent back via L-band satellite passenger safety, as well as sensors provides a cost effective connectivity to any choice of extended downtime that can alternative for monitoring application. This allows rail lead to reduced profitability. track in remote locations. For companies to remotely monitor After a weather event has example, Inmarsat’s Trackside sidings and hillsides for slippage occurred, it is crucial to Environmental Monitoring and landslides which may impact understand whether parts of a Solution utilises Inmarsat’s the rail track in remote locations rail network have been affected. L-band IDP or BGAN services, without cellular or terrestrial Areas which are particularly enabling rail companies to connectivity, anywhere in the susceptible to the effects of monitor weather-susceptible world. Crucially, the insights that a weather event need to be remote rail environments in real- are produced can inform quicker constantly monitored. Often time. Because the terminals used responses and better decisions, the remote nature of these have a low power consumption, helping rail operators to run a locations means that terrestrial they are well suited for use in much safer, smarter, and a more connectivity is unreliable, and remote environments where efficient network. the cost of installing private power is an issue and can run terrestrial networks prohibitive. off an integrated solar powered Ultimately this means that solution. checks are often carried out TRACKSIDE INFRASTRUCTURE PASSENGER CONNECTIVITY A FUTURE OF UBIQUITOUS CONNECTIVITY MONITORING Finally, in addition to the TO TRAINS AND THE RAILROAD? maintenance of track, When managing a network As the use cases outlined above on ubiquitous connectivity environment and rolling stock over thousands of kilometres, make clear, satellite networks that facilitates greater network across the network, the need a challenge for many rail form a core part of the overall efficiency, increased profitability, for faster staff and passenger companies is managing connectivity mix, alongside radio, enhanced safety and improved connectivity in remote areas infrastructure, including cellular and fibre networks, that environmental performance. is only going to increase in unmanned level crossings which rail organisations need to access As the advent of new networks importance in the future. The are located in remote locations ubiquitous connectivity and such as 5G are being rolled out, latest developments in satellite and often beyond the reach ensure the constant transfer of satellite has a huge part to play connectivity solutions for the of terrestrial networks and data from their assets to central to augment the network, filling rail industry continue to look power access. control centres. dark spots in coverage without at new, more cost-effective the need to deploy costly By utilising Inmarsat’s L-band IDP ways of providing a rich internet With satellite-enabled solutions terrestrial infrastructure. When or BGAN network, rail companies experience for passengers now being a far more robust and viewed together, all of this will are able to monitor infrastructure in those remote areas where cost-effective option, the global benefit the wider economy and in remote areas of their network in such connectivity was rail industry is closer to reaching global supply chains. real-time. By connecting sensors previously unavailable. the ‘holy grail’ it has been via LoRaWAN to an Intelligent seeking for many years: always- Edge Gateway, data can be sent back via L-band satellite network to any choice of application. In turn, this can boost the levels of connectivity at unmanned level crossings, allowing a central command centre to effectively monitor and operate them automatically or to detect any potential issues remotely. ABOUT INMARSAT Inmarsat is the global market leader in mobile satellite communications with an unrivalled heritage of over 40 years’ experience in supplying satellite services. We also have a long history in the rail sector, with key landmark clients in freight rail and network maintenance organisations. Our satellite connectivity is currently being used on over 2,000 locomotives worldwide and in some of the most remote regions in the world where natural environments present harsh conditions. This proven track record and heritage puts us in an excellent position to serve the rail industry globally.

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