NetBoss XT to manage Lithuania Railway’s Multimillion Dollar GSM-R System

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – December 3, 2009 – Harris Stratex Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSTX), a leading provider of wireless solutions that enable the evolution of next-generation fixed and mobile broadband networks, announced today that its NetBoss XT network management solution will enable Lithuania Railways (LitRail), a passenger and freight transportation in Lithuania, to manage its complete GSM-R network. Conductors, dispatchers, train engineers and station controllers, can take advantage of the new GSM-R technology for more reliable and secure communication between railway operators. This implementation of GSM-R is the first in the entire Baltic region and will enable LitRail to comply with the European Council (EC) railway standards, while making railway travel faster and safer.

As part of the contract with BELAM, a principal member of the consortium responsible for the LitRail GSM-R rollout, Harris Stratex will provide its state-of-the-art NetBoss XT fault and resource management platform to manage all of the elements in the GSM-R communication system spanning approximately 88% of Lithuania's rail routes. The integrated solution, which includes trouble ticketing, increases the efficiency of railway operators and improves railway safety by providing a single integrated view of the health and status of the network, in addition to automating service desk functions to free up operator’s time. LitRail operators will now have real-time visibility and reporting of all the elements including ATCA based MSC, HLR, IN platforms, SGSN, GGSN, IP network, BTS, BSC, voicemail, SDH, Fixed Dispatchers System and Power Supply’s allowing operators to convey critical information quickly and clearly.

“Transitioning Lithuania Railways network to GSM-R was a vital step for the company in creating a more efficient and reliable method of communication for railway operators. We selected the Harris Stratex NetBoss XT platform because of its comprehensive GSM-R management capabilities and multi-vendor support, which includes the latest interface protocol technologies,” said Kastytis Zilinskas, Director of BELAM telekomunikacijos. “It was important for us to find a product that not only allows for seamless and secure integration with all elements and OSS, but also adheres to the latest standards.”

Over 20 different signaling systems currently coexist on railway lines in Europe. Having multiple systems increases the risk of railway breakdowns and extra costs. The goal of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is to create a single Europe-wide standard for train control and command systems by the end of 2012, which will enhance interoperability across all railways. The two main components of ERTMS are the European Train Control System (ETCS), a standard for on-board train control, and GSM-R, the GSM mobile communications standard for railway usage. The NetBoss XT implementation of GSM-R is the first of its kind in the Baltic region and will accelerate the adoption of ERTMS standards in Lithuania. NetBoss XT will be deployed in a high availability cluster configuration, ensuring availability of critical information.

“The European Council has recognized the need for creating a unified railway system that can span geographical boundaries. We understand how critical it is for railway companies to be able to make this transition without interruption to daily operations. It is important that the new system is easier to use, faster and safer than the previous,” said Keith Donahue, VP Global Network Services at Harris Stratex. “We’re thrilled that NetBoss XT was chosen as the GSM-R network management to Lithuania Railways and we look forward to continuing our strong history with railroads throughout the world.”

This installation is expected to be completed in 2010. It includes the use of various interface types including ASCII, SNMP, OSSI and 3GPP CORBA, which is also part of a key focus of GSM-R networks for Harris Stratex.