Digital Railways must start with a coordinated FRMCS migration strategy

Australia’s rail sector is fast approaching a critical junction in time with the looming obsolescence of one its most important technology systems. Replacing the incumbent GSM-R network, the transition to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) is a globally significant challenge.

With an approximate obsolescence date of 2035 merging with a complex history of fragmentation, Australia is working to produce a national FRMCS migration strategy. This strategy will not only help the industry achieve success, but it’s also how we avoid repeating the same mistakes that have plagued the Australian rail network for decades.

Why change must start with a migration strategy

Most freight, passenger and metro systems across the country are facing a migration of their radio communications to FRMCS within the next decade.

To achieve this means navigating a vast stakeholder network where different operators are moving at varying speeds. The challenge requires operators to adopt next-generation capabilities while managing legacy systems, varied investment cycles and competing operational priorities, all while remaining fully operational.

A pathway navigated alone will inevitably duplicate effort, compound technical complexity, break interstate interoperability, and drive unnecessary costs across the industry. A comprehensive migration strategy that invites collaboration provides a pathway to prevent fragmentation, instead aligning stakeholders around a unified vision with targeted, operator-specific milestones.

Translating the UK Blueprint for Australian Networks

On behalf of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), SYSTRA alongside JF Rail Consulting developed the strategic options and roadmap to support the United Kingdom’s FRMCS transition. The work combined international best practice, incorporating experience from Australia and across Europe.

The resulting roadmap has provided a structured framework for how the large-scale transition can happen across multiple independent stakeholders, over different timeframes without losing sight of the end state. It has coordinated the industry across people, processes and technologies to create a unified goal that will ultimately define success.

Rodrigo Alvarez, SYSTRA’s Technical Director for Telecommunications based in Perth, was heavily involved in this project and one of the creators of the roadmap. He believes that by addressing the key decisions early, this approach will prevent rework, duplication and the cost escalation that accompanies large-scale technology transition.

“For Australian stakeholders, this project offers a practical reference point for how to best implement FRMCS across the country.”
Rodrigo Alvarez

Drawing on a specific element of the strategy, Rodrigo points out that it also helps demystify some misunderstandings of our own migration pathway.

“The UK strategy reinforces that existing infrastructure can and should be used. For example, we have an existing public mobile radio network that can support 5G FRMCS capabilities in Australia. This is significant because it’s a huge CAPEX saving, important in today’s economic climate but it also makes the transition far less complex. This means additional savings in time, money and resources.”

Further demonstrating its value to the Australian context, the UK strategy provides a ready-made model for the wider impacts of digital modernisation. The strategy accounts for workforce upskilling and operational competency frameworks and proactive cybersecurity risk mitigation. These are important for both productivity and resilience needs.

Our Signature Projects

Radio Transformation of British Rail

Sydney Trains DTRS

Australia is already well placed to lead

Importantly, Australia uniquely positioned to lead this global transition.

Sydney Trains, for example, is already preparing the transition, with SYSTRA supporting their business case and proof of concept over the past year. Queensland is also deploying a first in Australia FRMCS system to support European Train Control System on the Direct Sunshine Coast line. That practical experience, combined with growing interest across Victoria, Western Australia and interstate freight lines creates a real opportunity to build a unified framework across the nation.

Beyond FRMCS adoption, the migration strategy sets a precedent for other technology transitions including the European Train Control System (ETCS). Since the publication of the National Rail Action Plan (NRAP) in 2025, and the decision by Australia’s transport ministers to mandate that all future investment in digital train control systems on the National Network for Interoperability (NNI) must comply with ETCS national standards, the industry has been eagerly awaiting a comprehensive migration pathway much like the UK example.

The value of a strong migration strategy is that it takes an individual project and integrates it into a coherent whole.

“Successful migration is about far more than replacing obsolete technology. The benefits to managing complexity are clear but what it does for the overall productivity of our industry are equally as important. A clear roadmap can secure investment and pipeline security that will flow through from suppliers through to talent pathways and beyond.”

Australia has a genuine opportunity to lead the world in FRMCS and use that momentum to build a more productive digital railway.