Huawei to supply telecoms kit for UAE railway

blogss 12:10 AM , ,
Huawei was selected to work on the project
 by SELEX Elsag, part of the Finmeccanica group.
From ITP.net:

Chinese telecoms vendor, Huawei, will supply the mobile networks (GSM-R), optical and IP equipment for the first section of the UAE's upcoming railway line, which is due to be completed by the end of 2014.

Huawei was selected to work on the project by SELEX Elsag, part of the Finmeccanica group, which is responsible for implementing the technological component of the new railway line. Etihad Rail Company is the master developer and operator of the UAE's national railway network.

The new UAE railway network will be 1,200 km long by the end of 2017 and will connect urban and industrial areas of the UAE and will connect to networks in Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Huawei's wireless network will guarantee mobile communications along a 266 km portion of the railway line, which will connect the entire oil-bearing area of Shah. The line will be the main means for transporting more than 7 million tons per year of granulated sulphur from Habshan to the port of Ruwais for export.

Huawei GSM-R technology is vital for improving rail network safety, offering critical communication functions so that train drivers, controllers, civil engineers and crew members that work along the railway line can communicate with each other.

Huawei's GSM-R portfolio allows railway communications to be interoperable between various railway companies and ensures the highest level of service quality at all times.

Huawei is also ready to deploy LTE infrastructure on the rail network.

"This first commercial contract signed with Finmeccanica Group outside of China represents a significant milestone for Huawei Enterprise, and demonstrates our consistent commitment to provide railway operators around the world with mobile communication networks and innovative solutions, as well as the opening of a strategic collaboration worldwide with Selex Elsag and Finemeccanica group," said Roberto Loiola, vice president, Huawei Western Europe.

Dong Wu, vice president at Huawei Enterprise Middle East, said that the Middle East's rail market will almost double in size over the next decade.

"The Middle East and North Africa region is currently the world's fastest growing market for rail projects. With a rise in demand for efficient and effective means of transport, the increase in metro, tram and monorail projects will lead to the rail market almost doubling in size over the next decade. According to the MEED Railway Report in 2011, the region is undergoing more than USD250 billion worth of planned investment in the railways sector," he said.