This certificate confirms the compliance of the FDS solution to the recommended requirements by the European Integrated Railway Radio Enhanced Network Project that build up ETSI GSM standards with requirements and functions needed in the field of railways telecommunications. This provides Iskratel with admittance to demanding European and CIS markets, while also opening up possibilities to enter markets all around the world in partnership with core GSM-R network providers and offer a complete solution for railways telecommunications.

The purpose of the EIRENE certification process is to obtain a certificate that confirms that the solution developed for dispatchers fulfils the European GSM-R requirements. The EIRENE specifications provide applicable functional and system requirements for the Iskratel Fixed Dispatcher System (FDS) and interconnections to other systems. Fulfilling both the applicable mandatory requirements and the optional requirements of these specifications ensures that the products on the market will integrate successfully.

This certificate allows Iskratel to be present on all the markets, where GSM-R networks are being built. Iskratel is targeting Western European markets where GSM-R is most developed, as well as Slovenia, the Balkans, Turkey and CIS countries. The multifunctionality and modularity of the dispatcher system HW and SW will enable Iskratel to offer upgrades of existing and new systems with GSM-R functionality.

Iskratel foresees the upgrades of existing systems on the field, that do not offer newest IP based technology required on the field and is completely suited by our FDS. Railways telecommunications demand the parallel operation of existing equipment at least during the transition period; this will require the use of the existing interfaces. Our FDS also excels in this field. All this ensures advantages in comparison with the existing products of our competitors.

‘The acquisition of the EIRENE certificate for our Fixed Dispatcher System is a proof, that our SI3000 products and the FDS system based on IP, are suitable for global use, and that we are capable of keeping up with the development of the newest and most demanding products for railways telecommunication’said Mr. Roman Osredkar, the Product Manager in Iskratel. ‘With this solution, we are bidding for the Slovenian Railways tender for a GSM-R network. We cover a fixed dispatcher system and its connection to the existing networks. This enables us to show our experiences on TDM and introduce modern telecommunications solutions based on the packet transport network’ he added.

In the certificate process that lasted four months, Iskratel FDS has shown that they are adaptable and that our development follows and surpasses the recommended requirements with innovative solutions. The development process started by defining the product requirements, and by developing the new functionality for the Dispatcher Terminal for Railways, the Dispatcher Server and the Call Server. The certification process started when the test specification and specification of conformance to relevant points in the recommendations was given to the certification agency. Iskratel chose TÜV Rheinland for the certification and assessment due to their experience and references on this field. After some iteration of the test specifications and improvements to the specifications of conformance, Iskratel made two test campaigns together with the representative of TÜV Rheinland who witnessed that the tests were successful.

The EIRENE certificate and compatibility is required for equipment, which will be used in railways telecommunication networks. The tender also requires that the provider is bound to the condition to maintain the solution for 15 years and to provide upgrades when the EIRENE recommendations are changed to ensure interoperability. This is a usual condition for special networks, where long system operation is expected and modernisation is not frequent. Iskratel is capable of satisfying these requirements and offers the excellent support and maintenance that the customer expects to receive.