A major milestone in the evolution of next-generation railway communications has been achieved as Funkwerk, Nokia, and Ericsson successfully concluded the first joint field tests of onboard radio equipment operating in band n101. The trials were conducted using Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) network infrastructure provided by Nokia and Ericsson.

Held at a test site operated by Deutsche Bahn in the Ore Mountains, the achievement marks a significant step forward in the transition toward 5G-based railway communication systems.

Over an intensive two-day testing period, the partners carried out both static and dynamic evaluations, including coverage measurements and functional performance assessments. These activities were aimed at optimizing network configuration under realistic operating conditions, closely reflecting live railway environments.

A key highlight of the trials was the successful validation of interoperability. Funkwerk’s FRMCS module MTC18 demonstrated seamless performance across both Nokia and Ericsson infrastructures, including stable user equipment (UE) connectivity and reliable handover behavior during live test runs.

These field tests represent a critical phase in advancing FRMCS deployment across Europe. The results will contribute directly to the objectives of the MORANE 2 program, which focuses on validating FRMCS specifications and ensuring multi-vendor interoperability.

Industry stakeholders are closely monitoring the outcomes, as they are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of railway communications and accelerating the migration from legacy systems to a unified, 5G-enabled FRMCS framework.

The participating companies expressed their appreciation to all partners involved in the successful execution of the tests and reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in the next phases of MORANE 2.