FP2-MORANE-2 Mid-Term Conference Marks Major Progress Towards Europe’s Future Railway Communications
The FP2-MORANE-2 Mid-Term Conference brought together project partners, representatives from the European railway sector and key stakeholders to review the project's achievements and discuss the next steps towards deploying the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) across Europe.
Held as an important milestone in the project, the event showcased the progress made over the past months and highlighted the collaborative efforts driving the transition from GSM-R to a next-generation, 5G-based railway communication system.
The conference provided a valuable platform for participants to exchange knowledge, reflect on technical achievements and explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as Europe prepares for the future of railway communications.
Opening the conference
The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Jean-Michel Evanghelou (UIC) and Michael Mikulandra (UNITEL/UNIIFE) who both reflected on the importance of collaboration in delivering Europe's next-generation railway communication system. The opening session highlighted the progress achieved by the consortium to date and set the scene for a day of technical presentations, discussions and knowledge exchange.
Showcasing progress towards testing
A key highlight of the conference was the announcement of the launch of the first large-scale integration and laboratory testing phase for FRMCS, marking an important step towards validating the future communication system before its deployment on operational railway lines.
During this session, the latest developments in the integration activities taking place across the project's dedicated laboratories. The presentation explained how equipment and software from multiple suppliers are being brought together to verify interoperability and ensure that all system components function seamlessly under realistic railway operating conditions.
Further sessions explored the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating new communication technologies into existing railway operations, demonstrating the collaborative efforts of infrastructure managers, railway undertakings, suppliers and research organisations working together within FP2-MORANE-2.
Participants also heard how the testing programme will assess critical railway applications, including the European Train Control System (ETCS), Railway Emergency Calls, Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Train Control and Monitoring Systems (TCMS), ensuring the future system meets Europe's operational and safety requirements.
Looking ahead
Closing the event, Jean-Michel Evanghelou (UIC) reflected on the progress achieved during the first half of the project and thanked the consortium and stakeholders for their continued commitment. The closing remarks reaffirmed the shared ambition of delivering a modern, resilient and future-proof communication system that will support safer, more efficient and more sustainable railway operations across Europe.
The FP2-MORANE-2 Mid-Term Conference marked another important milestone in the project's journey, demonstrating the strength of European collaboration and bringing the railway sector one step closer to the successful implementation of FRMCS.
All presentations delivered during this event can be found below:
