Nokia on track with NCRTC voice/data offering and Orange Egypt network modernisation

In a double-whammy across its services, Nokia is celebrating wins in India and Egypt, having successfully completed testing of voice and data calls over the world’s first 4.9G/LTE private wireless network to support European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 Signalling in the former case for the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) of India, as well as extending its partnership with Orange Egypt to modernise its subscriber data management (SDM) offering to provide a superior mobile subscriber experience.

Phase 1 of the project for NCRTC’s Regional Rapid Transit System covers an 82km rail route with 25 stations between Delhi and Meerut, to be implemented in four stages and set to be completed by 2025. This is said to be a world-first application of an LTE network that is being used along with ETCS Level 2 signalling to provide high-speed, high-reliability commuter service.

In addition, the ETCS Level 2-based system allows trains to report their precise location in real time, which will further help to send alerts to commuters by sharing a train’s exact location and decreasing waiting time. Nokia believes the inherent capability of 4.9G/LTE networks to support advanced broadband applications makes it the technology of choice to support mission-critical voice signalling.

As part of the agreement, the firm will provide Nokia Evolved Packet Core (EPC), Compact Mobile Unit (CMU), NetAct, Network Services Platform (NSP), installation and commissioning services, and integration services. Nokia will also deliver Operation Control Centre (OCC) and Backup Control Centre (BCC) to ensure operations.

Nokia is partnering with Alstom for the implementation of this private network. Commenting on the project, Alstom India signalling director Thameem Kamaldeen said: “We are pleased to work with Nokia on this exciting project for NCRTC to provide high-speed connectivity between New Delhi and Meerut. The initiative will significantly transform the region by opening new opportunities for citizens while providing a sustainable and safer travel option for them.”

Kamal Ballout, head of enterprise services for China, India, the Middle East and Africa at Nokia, said: “We have worked closely with major railway operators to bring the benefits of private LTE connectivity and pave the way for the adoption and deployment of Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). As India’s trusted telecom vendor, we are thrilled to partner with NCRTC for the deployment of a high-speed LTE network between Meerut and New Delhi, and are looking forward to building a world’s first for NCRTC.”

For Orange Egypt, modernisation of the SDM network is designed to allow the telco to enhance service reliability while preparing the system for the launch of 5G services.

Nokia will continue to be the sole provider of SDM over the next five years to support the operator’s subscriber growth over the same time, and enable it to enhance operational efficiency and meet the evolving capacity and service needs of its subscribers, managing subscriber data across different technology networks. The new system will include upgraded hardware and ongoing software releases.

“The modernised, industry-leading Nokia SDM solution will help us better address the evolving needs of our customers,” said Orange Egypt chief technology officer Ayman Amiri. “Building on our existing experience leveraging Nokia’s SDM solution, we are looking forward to leveraging these upgrades as we consolidate our customer base across different technologies and move towards 5G.”

Nokia’s 3GPP-compliant SDM solution includes Nokia Registers – Home Subscriber Server, Home Location Register and One-NDS (Network Directory Server), plus 5G’s Unified Data Management and Authorization Server Function.