• MVG Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH

MERETEC delivers radio technology to Munich! 

The radio box – provides reliable communication to one of the most modern public transport companies in the world.

Munich’s public service (SWM) and Munich’s public transportation authority (MVG) decided on a reliable and also economical communication system in order to ensure smooth operation in public transportation services.

The challenge:

Munich’s public transportation authority (MVG), a subsidiary of Munich’s public service (SWM), is the second largest municipal transport company in Germany and the public transport operator in Munich.

In total there are round about 572 underground carriages, 106 trams and more than 246 busses in use by SWM / MVG and additionally, further 189 busses of our private partner companies. Over 500 million passengers are carried around every year. The route network serves over 600 km.

The continued growth of the vehicle fleet and also of the entire route network led to a situation in which the previously used radios for voice and data transmission no longer complied with requirements; also old vehicles had to be replaced.
This is easier said than done, due to the fact that the devices once especially customized for public transport are no longer available by now. And the existing devices do not comply with all relevant legal regulations. As not to jeopardize the operating permit, only E1 certified radios may be used.

In addition, there are particular challenges faced by the new system: It is necessary to ensure that the existing infrastructure is compatible with the new system as well as the compliance with time parameters in the single-digit millisecond range. The radio data transmission is performed over time slots, whereby one time slot is assigned to each radio during the log-in process. For use in the new busses a backplane had to be developed as well.

The favORITe of solution: ILSE - The Radio Box

With ILSE – The Radio Box, SWM / MVG chose for a future-proof and certified solution for retrofitting under observance of E1 conformity, railway standard, public transport demands and budget. This is how the ideal solution looks like as it is fully compatible with the existing systems as well as it meets the required specifications of a radio system. Extra LED displays allow the technician to determine the status quo promptly. Further ILSE – The Radio Box now is able to receive the information directly from the digital on-board computer regarding the telegram to be sent. This is how one of the major sources of trouble sending telegrams can be eliminated: the analog connection between the on-board computer and the radio.

„For all participants one of the main challenges was to replace radio systems during business hours at SWM / MVG. This meant for ORIT, to develop new devices swiftly and to adjust them fluently, making sure the ability to connect with the infrastructure to date and also with the specific requirements of public transport.

Now the first 400 of ORIT‘s radio boxes are in service and we can say: For us „ILSE – The Radio Box“ represents the long searched solution as it is versatile and powerful. The required E1 certification in accordance with § 55a StVZO ensures the operating permit for our vehicle fleet. Also ORIT took successfully all steps to achieve and certify compliance with the railway standard according to EN 50155 / EN 50121-3-2:2006/ DIN 5510-2:2009-05.  

Result: ORIT solves rapidly challenging tasks in a very professional kind of way to meet customers’ needs."

Kurt Stern
Head of Traffic Telematics – Stadtwerke München GmbH (SWM)

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MERETEC Technologies GmbH
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