Korea Rail to set up LTE network

By Jhoo Dong-chan

State-run Korea Rail Network Authority (KR) will set up the high-speed, long-term evolution (LTE)-based railway mobile communication system, or LTE-R, on the Wonju-Gangneung route in a bid to support the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

The LTE-R is a domestically developed communication technology that applies the 4th generation LTE into the nation’s railway platform, providing a high-quality voice service and maximum 100Mbs of mass data transmission to help communications between train controllers, operators and government officials.

The KR’s ambition to apply LTE technologies into the railway system is the first of its kind in the world’s railroad networks, and is expected to strengthen its safety and convenience.

The KR designated KT, Korea’s second-largest wireless carrier, last week, and the project will contribute greatly to the nation’s railway communication platform and help unified railway solutions in its possible overseas construction projects in the future.

The LTE-R will also be linked with Public Safety-LTE (PS-LTE), a high-speed communications network for public securities, to help streamline the nation’s safety control tower and its operations.

“Detailed designs for the LTE-R on the Wonju-Gangneung route will be completed by September, and the KR will then carry out installation and test the system to close the project by December 2017,” said KR Chairman Kang Yeong-il.

“The world’s first commercialized LTE-R communication system will not only help the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018 succeed, but also serve greatly in its overseas operations.”

KR, currently supervising two railway construction projects in Southeast Asia, seeks to secure more deals in the coming years.

It also invited a group of government officials and lawmakers from Bangladesh earlier this month to share the firm's advanced knowledge on railway construction and management.