Airbus has signed a contract to provide a digital Tetra (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) communication system for four underground lines in Chongqing, a city of about 18 million inhabitants, making it the largest in Southwest China. This order not only comes from a new customer, but also allows Airbus to be well-positioned for potential future business in this region.
Integrated Tetra radio communications
Chongqing Metro will install a single integrated Tetra radio communication system across the four metro lines, with three switch centres to support cross-line train dispatching, operation and security. It will become the first project to support operations across multiple underground lines within the Chinese metro sector.
For Chongqing Metro Lines 4, 5, 10 and the circular line, Airbus will supply 93 TB3 base stations, as well as 2,626 TH1n and 385 TMR880i Tetra radios. For the first time in the Asia-Pacific region, Airbus will install three Taira Tetra servers, a compact, virtualised and very cost-efficient solution to replace conventional Tetra switches. The four lines are expected to come into operation from December 2017 onward.
The systems will offer optimal communication support for dispatching, and managing the trains, ensuring smooth and secure operations for the metro.