UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract delivery has been confirmed for the first operational phase of Queensland’s next-generation Digital Radio System, placing the three-company team inside the $5.5 billion to $7 billion Stage 1 program for The Wave.

The Queensland Government selected UGL Transport, Ericsson and Frequentis to deliver the new mission-critical rail communications system across the first operational section of the South East Queensland rail network.

The contract will establish a private 5G communications platform supporting Queensland Rail’s rollout of the European Train Control System Level 2, commonly known as ETCS Level 2. The technology will transmit operational information between trains, trackside systems and rail-control centres, helping support safer operations, improved reliability and increased network capacity.

The Digital Radio System is one of four major work packages being delivered as part of Stage 1 of The Wave rail program. Stage 1 is expected to cost between $5.5 billion and $7 billion, but the specific value of the UGL, Ericsson and Frequentis contract has not been publicly disclosed.

UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract awarded for The Wave

The UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract covers the first phase of a next-generation communications network for Queensland’s rail system.

UGL Transport will lead delivery of the communications package in partnership with Ericsson and Frequentis. The team will deliver the first operational section of the Digital Radio System along the Sunshine Coast rail corridor.

The system is intended to be operational in time to support passenger services ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Under the announced delivery arrangement:

• UGL Transport will provide rail systems, integration and project-delivery capability;
• Ericsson will design and deliver the mission-critical private 5G platform; and
• Frequentis will provide specialist mission-critical rail communications capability.

The contract demonstrates how major rail infrastructure programs increasingly involve telecommunications, software, systems integration and cybersecurity alongside traditional civil and track construction.

Private 5G network to support digital train control

Ericsson will design, supply, integrate, test and commission the private 5G network forming the communications backbone of the new Digital Radio System.

The solution will include a mission-critical 5G Radio Access Network, known as a RAN, together with a geographically redundant 5G core network and cloud infrastructure.

Geographical redundancy is important for critical infrastructure because it reduces reliance on a single location or system. If one part of the network experiences a fault or interruption, the broader system can be designed to continue operating through another location.

The network will operate using Band n101 within the 1900 MHz spectrum range. Ericsson says the platform will provide a pathway towards the Future Railway Mobile Communication System, or FRMCS, which is being developed as the international successor to older railway communications systems.

The new platform is intended to support:

• mission-critical train communications;
• continuous operational data transfer;
• rail voice, video and data services;
• digital train-control systems;
• high network availability and resilience;
• future rail interoperability requirements; and
• additional operational applications as the network develops.

How ETCS Level 2 uses the 5G network

The private 5G network will support the introduction of ETCS Level 2 across the relevant rail corridor.

ETCS is a digital signalling and train-control system that continuously exchanges information between trains and the rail-control network. It provides near-real-time information about train location, direction and speed.

This allows the rail network to monitor train movements more accurately and manage services more efficiently than systems relying primarily on conventional trackside signalling.

Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads identifies the expected benefits of ETCS as:

• improved rail safety;
• increased network capacity;
• more reliable train services;
• greater operational efficiency;
• improved network resilience;
• better passenger information;
• reduced delays and service disruptions; and
• the ability to operate more frequent train services.

More information about the technology is available through the Queensland ETCS Program page.

Alstom delivering the linked signalling package

The Digital Radio System will provide the communications platform needed to support the ETCS Level 2 signalling technology being delivered by Alstom.

This means the communications and signalling packages are technically connected but have distinct delivery responsibilities.

The UGL, Ericsson and Frequentis team is responsible for the Digital Radio System package, while Alstom is delivering the associated ETCS Level 2 digital signalling solution.

Integration between the two packages will be critical. The communications network must reliably transfer operational data between trains, trackside equipment and control systems for the signalling technology to perform as intended.

Interfaces are likely to require coordinated:

• systems engineering;
• communications design;
• software integration;
• configuration management;
• cybersecurity assurance;
• testing and commissioning;
• operational-readiness planning; and
• rail safety verification.

The Wave Stage 1 valued at $5.5 billion to $7 billion

The UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract forms part of Stage 1 of The Wave, a major passenger-rail project intended to connect the existing North Coast rail line at Beerwah with new stations on the Sunshine Coast.

The Queensland Government currently estimates that Stage 1 will cost between $5.5 billion and $7 billion.

The Australian and Queensland governments have committed funding towards the program, with the current government project page identifying a $2.75 billion Australian Government contribution.

The final Stage 1 cost cannot yet be confirmed because further detailed investigations, design development, industry engagement and procurement remain underway.

The project is expected to deliver approximately 19 kilometres of new dual-track passenger railway between Beerwah and Caloundra, along with new stations and supporting rail systems.

The planned stations for Stage 1 include:

• Nirimba;
• Caloundra Aero; and
• Caloundra.

The project is intended to improve public transport access, reduce pressure on the road network and support population and housing growth across the Sunshine Coast.

One of four major Stage 1 work packages

The Digital Radio System is one of four major procurement packages associated with Stage 1 of The Wave.

Breaking the program into packages allows specialist contractors and technology providers to deliver separate but interconnected parts of the new railway.

Major packages are expected to cover disciplines including:

• civil and rail infrastructure;
• stations and buildings;
• rail systems;
• digital signalling;
• communications infrastructure;
• power and electrical systems;
• testing and commissioning; and
• operational integration.

The UGL, Ericsson and Frequentis award is commercially significant because it identifies the delivery team responsible for one of the program’s most technically complex packages.

What UGL Transport brings to the contract

UGL Transport has experience delivering rail signalling, communications, operations, maintenance and integrated transport systems across Australia.

For the Queensland package, UGL will coordinate the delivery of the Digital Radio System and provide the rail engineering and systems-integration capability needed to connect the telecommunications platform with the wider network.

Rail systems projects differ from ordinary communications installations because equipment must operate within a safety-critical environment while interfacing with trains, signalling systems, operational control centres and existing rail infrastructure.

Delivery is therefore likely to require strict management of:

• technical interfaces;
• rail-corridor access;
• systems assurance;
• configuration and document control;
• network availability;
• safety accreditation;
• testing evidence; and
• operational handover.

Ericsson to deliver the mission-critical 5G platform

Ericsson’s role includes the design, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of the private 5G communications network.

Unlike an ordinary public mobile network, a mission-critical private rail network must be engineered specifically for operational reliability, availability and security.

The system will be used for railway operations rather than general passenger mobile coverage. It must support communication between critical systems under normal, degraded and emergency operating conditions.

Ericsson says the network will provide the foundation for future rail voice, video, data and operational applications as Queensland’s network continues to modernise.

The platform’s pathway towards FRMCS may also support future interoperability where Queensland’s metropolitan rail system interfaces with national rail infrastructure.

Frequentis adds critical communications expertise

Frequentis specialises in communications and information systems for safety-critical industries, including rail, aviation, emergency services and public transport.

Its role within the project provides specialist capability in mission-critical communications and operational systems.

Rail communications need to remain clear, available and controlled during incidents, network disruptions and emergency responses. This requires more than ordinary voice communication and may involve priority management, operational coordination, recorded communications and integration with control-room systems.

Supply-chain opportunities from the rail 5G package

The UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract may create opportunities across Queensland’s rail, telecommunications, electrical and specialist engineering sectors.

Potential areas of supply-chain involvement may include:

• rail communications design;
• telecommunications infrastructure;
• radio-network installation;
• fibre-optic cabling;
• electrical installation;
• equipment shelters and enclosures;
• communications towers and support structures;
• trackside equipment installation;
• power supplies and backup systems;
• cloud and data-centre infrastructure;
• cybersecurity services;
• systems engineering;
• software and network integration;
• testing and commissioning;
• rail safety assurance;
• technical documentation;
• surveying and site investigation;
• construction logistics;
• specialist workforce supply; and
• training and operational-readiness support.

These areas represent potential industry participation only. The announcement does not confirm which packages remain available, and much of the work may be completed directly by the appointed companies or existing delivery partners.

Interested businesses should monitor official procurement channels and the contractors’ supplier-registration processes rather than assuming work packages remain open.

Queensland technology and engineering capacity

The project will require a combination of traditional rail knowledge and newer digital-network capability.

Queensland’s supply chain may need to support specialist work involving rail systems, communications infrastructure, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, software integration and safety-critical commissioning.

This creates a different contractor profile from conventional road or civil projects. Many of the most important packages may involve highly specialised engineering, testing and systems-assurance businesses rather than only major construction contractors.

The project may also generate demand for workers experienced in:

• rail signalling;
• telecommunications engineering;
• radio-frequency systems;
• electrical engineering;
• network architecture;
• systems integration;
• cybersecurity;
• software testing;
• rail safety assurance; and
• project controls.

Brisbane 2032 delivery deadline

The first operational section of the Digital Radio System is intended to support passenger services before the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This creates a firm strategic deadline for design, integration, testing, accreditation and commissioning.

Rail systems cannot simply be installed and switched on. They must undergo extensive testing under normal and abnormal operating conditions before they can be accepted for passenger operations.

The program will therefore require sufficient time for:

• design verification;
• factory acceptance testing;
• site installation;
• systems integration;
• field testing;
• trial operations;
• safety approvals;
• staff training; and
• operational handover.

Why the UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract matters

The UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract is significant because it places three named international and Australian delivery businesses inside one of Queensland’s largest transport infrastructure programs.

It also signals that The Wave is progressing beyond broad planning and into the award of defined delivery packages.

For the Queensland supply chain, the announcement provides clearer visibility of who is leading the communications package and which capabilities may be required as the project advances.

The award is also a strong example of how major infrastructure is becoming increasingly technology dependent. The performance of the new railway will rely not only on tracks, stations and trains, but also on resilient communications networks, digital signalling, software, cybersecurity and integrated control systems.

Bowen Basin Index readers can follow more Queensland rail and infrastructure developments through the Project Watch rail category, the technology category, the transport category and the broader Project Watch news hub.

UGL Ericsson Frequentis rail 5G contract summary

The Queensland Government has selected UGL Transport, Ericsson and Frequentis to deliver the first phase of the Digital Radio System supporting Stage 1 of The Wave.

The private 5G network will provide the communications foundation for ETCS Level 2 digital train control along the first operational Sunshine Coast rail section.

Ericsson will design and deliver the 5G network, UGL will lead rail integration and project delivery, and Frequentis will provide specialist mission-critical communications capability.

The specific contract value has not been publicly disclosed. The frequently reported $5.5 billion to $7 billion figure applies to the expected cost of The Wave Stage 1 program, not solely to the Digital Radio System package.