Skip to main content

U-blox GSM module verified eCall and ERA Glonass ready

U-blox and Rohde & Schwarz, a leading supplier of test and measurement equipment, have successfully concluded tests of u-blox’ Leon GSM modem for eCall / ERA Glonass readiness.
April 18, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSS602 U-Blox and Rohde & Schwarz, a leading supplier of test and measurement equipment, have successfully concluded tests of u-blox’ Leon GSM modem for eCall / ERA Glonass readiness.

eCall and ERA Glonass, planned for initial implementation in 2014, capitalise on GSM and GPS technologies for vehicle emergency response service. The projects are independently led by the 1690 European Commission and the Russian government to provide rapid assistance to motorists involved in a collision anywhere in the 1816 European Union and Russia. The services are backed by numerous car, truck and bus manufacturers and the 4240 European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

"The extremely positive results of the tests conducted by Rohde & Schwarz validated Leon’s in-band modem capabilities, a crucial requirement to support vehicle-mounted eCall / ERA Glonass equipment,” said Thomas Nigg, VP product marketing at u-blox.

"To test Leon, we implemented a comprehensive in-band modem test environment based on the Radio Communication Tester R&S CMU200, and a PC running a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) simulator (R&S CMU-K94) according to TS 26.268. The results were 100 per cent convincing,” said Markus Hendeli, product manager for application testing at Rohde & Schwarz.

The core functionality of eCall / ERA Glonass requires an embedded computer that continuously monitors crash sensors and GPS receiver in order to initiate an automated data and voice call via a dedicated GSM modem in case of an emergency condition. A key requirement for eCall is that both data and voice call must utilise the same physical voice channel because SMS and GPRS do not provide the necessary service priority or availability.

Related Content

  • Do satellites provide a heavenly view of tolling’s future?
    December 16, 2014
    Satellite-based tolling opens up new options for authorities and can be integrated with DSRC systems as David Crawford discovers. As the proud custodian of the European Union (EU)’s longest road network covered by a single (truck) charging scheme – and the only one to include all major roads - Slovakia has become the continent’s poster-nation for the virtues of GNSS/CN (Global Navigation Satellite System/Cellular Network)-based tolling. It is also proved to be a very fast implementer. Speaking at the 2014 I
  • Royal academy report warns of over-reliance on global satellite navigation systems
    March 1, 2012
    Society may already be dangerously over-reliant on satellite radio navigation systems like GPS, the Royal Academy of Engineering warns in a report published yesterday. The range of applications using the technology is now so broad that, without adequate independent backup, signal failure or interference could potentially affect safety systems and other critical parts of the economy.
  • Terrestrial solution to stellar shortcomings
    December 5, 2013
    Inherent weaknesses in satellite communications are leading several countries to re-evaluate terrestrial-based backup systems. There is a tale frequently told in satellite navigation circles, of how landing systems at Newark Airport were disrupted by a truck driver using GPS jamming equipment as he drove along the New Jersey Turnpike. While there was no threat to flight safety as the interference to GPS reference stations being tested, the story highlights how apparently benign threats have the potential t
  • Kapsch equips high speed line in Spain with latest train communication technology
    April 2, 2012
    Kapsch CarrierCom has successfully implemented the latest train security and communication technology on the first high speed line in the Galicia region in the North West of Spain. The route between Orense and Santiago covers 87 km of tracks with 29 km of tunnels through a very mountainous area. Kapsch has been the Base Station Subsystem (BSS) GSM-R system turnkey supplier including network design, network integration and optimisation to the project. The company has also supplied all site infrastructure req