NEC Portugal to supply Cab Radios for the Saudi Arabia Railways

NEC Portugal, a subsidiary of one of the leading telecommunications and electronics global companies, has signed a contract to supply GSM-R Cab Radios to Thales Portugal, for installation in the Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR). The equipment will allow voice and data communications between the driver of each train and the Operational Control Centres of SAR. The deal involves the supply of cab radios for trains on the North South Railway line (NSR), which is part of the railways network expansion project in Saudi Arabia. The supply will begin in February of 2010 and will last until June.

“The selection of the GSM-R cab radio of NEC Portugal for this project in Saudi Arabia, shows the success of the investments that have been made in the Research and Development by NEC Portugal of products based in this technology. This is, without a doubt, an important milestone in the international sales of our GSM-R products and I believe that it will leverage new opportunities and consolidate our position as a supplier of reference in the Railways Communications market,” says João Paulo Fernandes, NEC Portugal Sales & Marketing General-Manager.

This project also signals the start of a cooperation between Thales Portugal, responsible for the global implementation of this telecommunications project, and NEC Portugal, both of them being considered, within their respective Groups, as worldwide Competence Centres for railways solutions.

The solution contracted to NEC Portugal is based on products it designed and developed on its own and are the result of twenty years of experience in the development and supply of railways communications solutions. The contract represents an international recognition of NEC Portugal capabilities and know-how in this area.

“NEC Portugal made, in 2005, a serious commitment to start a GSM-R Competence Centre, having since then invested highly in the development of skills and products for this technology. This Competence Centre, which has the development of GSM-R solutions for Railways Operators as one of its major goals, has been competing in the international markets with the objective to increase the exports of its GSM-R products, given the high rate of adoption of this technology by the Railways Operators worldwide”, adds João Paulo Fernandes.

The cab radio is one of the most important support systems in terms of railways traffic, with NEC Portugal’s product being the first one to be certified worldwide in accordance with the most recent versions of the GSM-R standards. In addition, the NEC cab radio will be adapted to specific Middle East requirements, such as the use of Arabic language in the driver interface, as well as the capability to support severe environmental conditions, such as the ones likely to be found in Saudi Arabia. Due to its modular design and by using its data transmission capability, the NEC GSM-R cab radio can empower the implementation of new future solutions that will allow the interconnection of the various onboard systems with the railways operator applications (e.g. telemaintenance, passenger information, onboard entertainment).