The UIC GSM-R Operators Group meeting #47 took place from 29 May to 1 June in Stockholm, at the kind invitation of Trafikverket (the Swedish Transport Administration).

The GSM-R Operators Group (OG) is a group of experts, including members from ADIF, DB Netz, DB Systel, FTA, JBV, Network Rail, ProRail, RFI, SBB, SNCF and TV, tasked to maintain/update the EIRENE SRS (System Requirements Specifications).

The GSM-R specifications EIRENE SRS as well as EIRENE FRS (Functional Requirements Specifications) are part of the CCS TSI, dealing with functional and system requirements for GSM-R.

This meeting was exceptionally extended from the normal duration of 2 days to 3 days, due to the need to finalise key items including Change Requests, while optimising the additional travel time extension.

Apart from the usual work where most of the expected results were achieved, one important aspect of this meeting was the discussion of the OG role, as one of the major actors of the UIC technical body role for the ERA ERTMS/GSM-R CCM Process.

It was agreed that OG shall address:

Maintaining and developing Specifications according to Change Control Management (CCM) principles based on Implementation Reports, including:

• Maintaining the Mandatory for Interoperability (MI) requirements within the ERA ERTMS/GSM-R CCM Process
• Improving harmonisation for System Mandatory (M) requirements
• Ensuring interoperability through follow up of standardisation for optional (O) features (ex. GPRS, UUS field content, Fixed terminals interface SDC, GID…)

The list of items to be addressed was established and recorded in a document (O-3073 v2.0), agreed within UIC, CER, EIM, GSM-R IG, and presented to ERA since 2011.

The group will provide the necessary support to enable the EIRENE roadmap to be established for the coming years, including the next EIRENE release deadline, agreed with ERA, CER, EIM.

As the main streams for current and future developments, it was agreed to focus on:

• Introduction of IP within the transmission and radio network and for fixed and mobile terminals
• Developing Packet Switching GPRS/EGPRS for ERTMS
• Developing Quality of Service requirements and testing conditions for Voice and ETCS GPRS
• Addressing harmonisation of national applications
• Follow up through ERA CCM of Mandatory for Interoperability features and Interoperability constituents

The next OG #48 meeting is planned from 10 – 12 September 2012, in Finland.