České dráhy to Modify Windows in More than 200 Carriages for Easier Passage of Mobile Signal

9. 9. 2024 - 12:45

České dráhy continues to take measures to improve the availability of mobile signal on the board of its trains. Following a recent tender procedure for equipping selected units with 5G mobile signal repeater technology, it has now announced another tender procedure for a supplier to provide laser window treatment in more than 200 individual railway carriages, which will facilitate signal penetration inside the train while maintaining the thermal and sealing properties of the glass.

The contract provides for the possibility of this modification on up to 233 railway carriages of the classes used in trains on cross-border lines and on the main domestic railway corridors. Specifically, these classes and vehicles are 26× Bmz245, 38× Bmz232, 15× Bmz241, 18× ARmpee829, 6× ARmpee832, 62× Bdpee231, 38× Bdmpee233, 10× Apee139, 11× Ampz143 and 9× Ampz146. The cost of the modification can reach up to CZK 33 million.

“Special permeable windows are the next step which will lead to a better mobile signal quality for passengers on the board of our trains. Passengers are not unfamiliar with this technology, because they may know these modified windows from InterJet trainsets, and the new ComfortJet trains are also equipped with them,” reminds Michal Krapinec, Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of České dráhy.

The laser window treatment technology uses a laser to disrupt the metal layer in windows, where instead of a uniform metal-plated film, these windows have a mesh structure which retains thermal characteristics but is better penetrated by signals coming from the outside.

Modernisation is taking place at the Wi-Fi networks as well

In addition to improving signal availability, České dráhy is continuously improving the service of on-board Wi-Fi networks. A major replacement of the morally obsolete first-generation Wi-Fi routers is currently underway in a total of 195 vehicles, including 131 fast train carriages, 3 control cars and 12 double-deck carriages of the Prague Integrated Transport system and 49 carriages in 7 railjet units. As far as fast train carriages are concerned, the project includes mainly such classes as Apee, Bdmpee, Ampz, Bhmpz, Bdmpz and Bmz241 and Bmz245, which are deployed by České dráhy especially for EuroCity and InterCity trains, e.g. Berliner, Metropolitan, Southern Express (Jižní expres), Western Express (Západní expres), Bavarian Express (Bavorský expres) and also for the Berounka or Slovácký Express fast trains.

The new Wi-Fi routers installed on the board of trains use public mobile data networks at frequencies from 700 to 2600 MHz and all available networks, the so-called bonding. The technology will now also be able to use networks in 5G. In addition to the Czech Republic, the Wi-Fi system is also ready for operation in Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Germany.

Author: Tiskové oddělení Českých drah

Release date: 9. 9. 2024

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