GSM-Public

Christian Rémond

Eurotunnel,Infrastructure division

Telecoms & control systems manager

21/02/2013

Eurotunnel and the Channel Tunnel

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The Channel Tunnel is the longest undersea tunnel in the world, with the sea section being 39Km long. The tunnel consists of 3 separate tunnels, each 50km long, bored at an average of 40m below the sea bed, and linking England to France.

In 2012, Eurotunnel provided access through the Tunnel for 20 million passengers (10M passengers on Eurostar trains and 10M passengers on Eurotunnel shuttles). Important proportion of business users for both Eurostar and Eurotunnel shuttle services.Large growth expected for passengers trains (15M passengers by 2020) due to new train operators (Deutsche Bahn & ICE trains) and development of new routes to/from Europe (NL, BE, DE, FR, SW)

Eurotunnel manages the infrastructure of the Channel Tunnel & shuttle services for cars, buses and trucks between Folkestone, UK and Calais, FR

Eurotunnel shuttles, Eurostar trains and freight trains run along the two single track and direction tunnels (see diagram)

Renewal of communications infrastructure / GSM-R project

GSM-R shall be operational by end 2014 and replace existing analogue radio systems

Different contacts for the different components of GSM-R: Infrastructure: Alcatel-Lucent (integrator)+ Kapsch (BSS), TDM (FTS), Axell Wireless, … Core GSM-R network: shared with RFF (through connexions to existing NSS) Eurotunnel trains: Siemens cab radios

GSM-R project requires the deployment of a radiating infrastructure in the tunnels opportunity to consider mobile communications for train users (GSM-P project)

GSM-P project launched in anticipation, with the objective to offer services before the start of London Olympic games in July 2012

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GSMP - Principles

French Operator’s South TunnelFrench Operator’s South Tunnel

English Operator’s North TunnelEnglish Operator’s North Tunnel

Operators are divided between tunnels for even loading and prevention of call drops due to country border roaming in the middle of the tunnel. Providing of dedicated coverage through the tunnel for each operator starting from its entrance.

UK operators: North tunnel travelling from UK to France. FR operators: South tunnel travelling from FR to the UK

Regulatory framework for this model now in place between OFCOM and its French counterparts, following signature of a binational MOU in Dec 2011 (MOU on frequency coordination between FR & the UK for the Channel Tunnel)

Eurotunnel has deployed a Distributed Antenna System to allow the connectivity of all mobile operator networks (MNOs) in the UK and France with GSM900, GSM1800 and UMTS2100 in order to provide coverage into the two running tunnels of Eurotunnel for mobiles used by passengers into the different types of trains running into the Channel Tunnel.

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GSMP – Global architecture

The architecture of the Eurotunnel Distributed Antenna System is organised into 6 cells per tunnel (per country): 3 cells are fed by BTS installed at the UK construction shaft and 3 cells by BTS installed at the FR construction shaft

UK BTS1 - Cell1 UK BTS2 – Cell5

Tunnel Mid Point

UK BTS1 – Cell2 UK BTS1 – Cell3 UK BTS2 – Cell4

FR BTS1 - Cell1 FR BTS2 – Cell5FR BTS1 – Cell2 FR BTS1 – Cell3 FR BTS2 – Cell4

8.9 km 10.1 km 7.6 km8.6 km 8.1 km

BTS UK

BTS FR

BTS UK

BTS FR

Shakespeare Cliff (shaft)

Sangatte (shaft)

FranceCoquelle

UKFolkestone

NO Coverage

in HO

7.2 km

in HO

NO Coverage

UK BTS2 – Cell6

FR BTS2 – Cell6

The Distributed Antenna system (DAS) is using Radio over Fibre technology (supplied by Axell & Wireless)

The frequencies from the MNO’s BTS are distributed through the RF/FO repeater system to the 144 sections of radiating cable installed in the two running tunnels and shared with Eurotunnel’s GSM-R system. The RF/FO repeater system is made of:* Master Units (MU) located at the 2 shafts which interconnect to MNO’s BTS and provide RF/Optical conversion* The optical fibres to connect the remote units to the master units + links between the BTS and their parent network.* 144 Remote Units (RU) connected to the radiating cable every 750m and providing RF/Optical conversion * the repeater management system.MNO equipment + MUs installed at the 2 construction shafts (secure location; secure power supplies)

Future evolution to 4G possible as wideband radiating cable used for tunnels coverage -- allowing use of 2600 MHz band

GSM-P / a few pictures

6Master Units Remote Units

Radiating cable installation

Samphire Hoe (UK)

Sangatte (FR)

MNOs BTSequipment

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GSMP /Planning

• Deployment of radiating cables in the tunnels started in September 2011

• March 2012: Agreement signed with the 4 French MNOs for their participation and right to operate their networks in the South running tunnel

• South tunnel in operations by FR MNOs since the 25th of July

• North tunnel roll out completed. Final measurements taking place

• Talks still taking place with UK MNOs

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GSM-P / Agreement with MNOs

Contract signed between Eurotunnel and the 4 FR MNOs in March 2012+ construction contract with Alcatel-Lucent

> Investment costs shared between FR & UK MNOs (= additional costs of GSMP implementation)

> 10-year Right of Use

> Service Level Agreement with penalties:* Guaranteed availability of the Distributed Antenna System * Guaranteed repair times for urgent faults

> O&M costs shared between FR & UK operators (O&M Contract with Alcatel-Lucent)

GSMP / Performances

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Measurements carried out by Alcatel-Lucent in different types of trains/configurations:Radio coverage measurements in South Tunnel show good performances even in the worst configuration

Strong performance results better than commitments

Important coverage margins are observed for Eurostar=> High Quality of Service: good Voice Quality and High throughput in 3G/HSDPA.

Very good voice quality Five-Bar reception in the trains Good data throughputs in 3G

Some figures from FR MNOs Data rates per user up to 8Mb/s Dropped calls: 0,85% (FR MNO figures) PS establishment success rate: > 99.4% (FR MNO figures)

Performances similar for the North tunnel .

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GSM-P project / Main challenges

TECHNICAL

• Tunnel equipment: available space, tunnel environment

• Security requirements No MNO equipment in tunnels

• Coexistence with GSM-R and existing radio systems single integrator

• Eurotunnel shuttles: high penetration losses, difficult to install repeaters

NON TECHNICAL

• Agree common solution with 8 operators in two different countries

• Adaptation of regulatory framework to satisfy operators requirements

• Business case - Costs vs revenues