Paris, France [28th Oct 2025] The 5th FRMCS Plugtests, hosted this week by the International Union of Railways (UIC) at its Paris headquarters, marks another major milestone in the global advancement of the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) — the next-generation, digital, secure, and interoperable communication system for railways.

Organised by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) and coordinated by UIC, this fifth edition brings together around 105 international experts from nearly 45 companies to validate interoperability and assess the maturity of their FRMCS solutions. Key focus areas include FRMCS over 5G, Mission Critical Border Crossing, and interworking between FRMCS and GSM-R, supporting a smooth and secure transition for rail operators worldwide.

By hosting the Plugtests, UIC reinforces its role as the global hub for innovation and interoperability in railway communications. This initiative is an essential step toward the deployment of FRMCS, which is set to define the industry’s digital transformation roadmap, targeting Version 3 Specifications by the end of 2027.

FRMCS, the successor to GSM-R, has already achieved significant progress — Version 1 specifications were integrated into the 2023 CCS TSI, and since December 2024, UIC has launched MORANE-2, the European demonstrator for FRMCS deployment. This coordinated effort underscores the sector’s readiness for large-scale implementation.

Throughout the week, the UIC headquarters will serve as a global railway innovation centre, hosting 32 observers from railway operators, safety authorities, and critical communications organisations. Continuous testing and live demonstrations will highlight interoperability achievements and inform future deployment strategies.

With the FRMCS Plugtests #5, UIC reaffirms its leadership in advancing the digital transformation of railways, promoting global collaboration and ensuring the seamless evolution toward a safer, smarter, and fully interoperable mission-critical communication ecosystem for the world’s rail networks.