ARCEP signs an MoU with SNCF

Paris, 10 February 2015

Today ARCEP and French railway company, SNCF, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to combine their efforts with respect to the quality and coverage of mobile services on-board trains.

The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is to strengthen interaction between ARCEP and SNCF, with the prime objective of providing railway travellers with better access to mobile networks. Both parties will work together to develop the means for measuring the coverage and quality of mobile services on-board trains. SNCF also plans on facilitating mobile network rollouts in the vicinity of railway lines.

Another aim of the MoU is to lay the foundations for a harmonious deployment of mobile networks and the GSM-R network which is used for the railway operator's own purposes. The successful cohabitation of these networks hinges on an effective dialogue between all of the stakeholders. ARCEP welcomes the willingness of SNCF to take part.

The digital transformation of businesses is vital to the future of our country. As the regulator of digital networks, ARCEP can and must fully play its part in this transformation. The agreement signed today serves as one initial illustration.

Background:

As the regulator of electronic communications markets, and the entity responsible for allocating mobile frequency bands, one of ARCEP's objectives is to ensure the most extensive coverage possible for electronic communications networks.

For its part, SNCF wants to provide its customers with the ability to have access to their usual mobile services on-board trains, and to a good quality of service, parallel to the deployment of the GSM-R network.

ARCEP and SNCF thus share the common objective of improving the coverage and quality of mobiles services on-board trains, and ARCEP is responsible for ensuring the successful coexistence of GSM-R and public mobile networks.