GSM-R: advanced, available, approved and applicable: part 2: available and approved

GSM-R, the railway extension of GSM telephony, has been designed specifically to satisfy railway radio communication requirements. In this three-part paper we describe the advanced features of GSM-R that set it apart as a railway system and demonstrate that it is available technology, ready for use today. We explain how GSM-R has been approved by international standards organisations and has a Notified Body process for type and system approval. Finally, we show that GSM-R is applicable to Australia, providing an effective solution to many of the communication problems of Australian railways. Part 2 discusses the approval processes for GSM-R, its implementation to date and the availability of GSM-R systems.