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Deutsche Bahn * is Europe's largest railway company, employing some 250,000 people. Its regional, long distance and freight divisions run almost 30,000 trains, transporting 4.5 million passengers and 5,500 cargo trains on a daily basis.

Over time proprietary systems for railway communications have been independently developed in different European countries. Consequently, railways need to use multiple communications devices and services when crossing international borders.

Railway operators were also looking to improve safety at higher speeds, standardise and simplify voice and data communications, improve effectiveness of operations and reduce operations and maintenance costs.

A decision was made to develop a common wireless communication standard for all European railways that provides for specific railway functions. Based upon public GSM technology, this railway-adapted version is known as GSM-Rail or simply GSM-R.

Based on comprehensive studies and comparing business cases with the existing analogue radio systems, Deutsche Bahn decided to deploy a nationwide GSM-R network. This decision was specifically driven by the long term cost and operational benefits of the GSM-R technology over the existing analogue radio systems.

Deutsche Bahn chose to deploy its new GSM-R network using Nortel comprehensive portfolio of GSM-R products.

• Deutsche Bahn introduced the world's first high speed (300 km/h) railway line that operates on GSM-R without an analogue fallback solution. It achieved its main objective of reducing the number of communication systems used.
• Deutsche Bahn started the world's first European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 high speed pilot line between Berlin and Leipzig allowing central control of train movements.
• Deutsche Bahn now has the framework in place to achieve new applications and services including electronic time scheduling, remote control diagnostics and implementation of new applications such as advanced signalling systems and logistic tools for freight tracking etc.
• By the beginning of 2005, GSM-R is due to be put into commercial use in the entire German train system.