ProRail further invests in its GSM-R telecommunications system

MobiRail is providing an end-to-end solution for ProRail, incorporating network design, site acquisition, construction works, logistics and project management that will result in a complete network upgrade within three years. The project will ensure a timely upgrade launch of network elements.

The Nokia Siemens Networks GSM-Railway (GSM-R) solution mobilizes and unites digital communications for railways by carrying signaling and operational information directly to train operators, enabling faster speeds and greater traffic density.

"The upgrade of the GSM-R system keeps the network up-to-date and enables ProRail to provide more high quality enhanced railway services. Especially the GPRS upgrade offers new possibilities in using the system," said Henk Dijkstra, GSM-R ProRail manager.

"Nokia Siemens Networks is striving to provide world class GSM-R systems and solutions so as to support secure operations, high quality services and an efficient railway transportation for ProRail," said Paul Broekhuizen, Account Director for Railways at Nokia Siemens Networks in the Netherlands.

ProRail is the only GSM-R license holder in the Netherlands and the present upgrade will prepare it to comply with the continued amendments of the European Integrated Railway Radio Enhanced Network (EIRENE).

The network upgrade will enhance the GSM-R network to support new railway services such as Infoplus, the system providing travel information to passengers on railway station platforms, including real-time train schedule information displayed on information screens or announced by means of voice messages.

The upgrade also will cover the GSM-R Operations Support Systems (OSS). As a result, ProRail will commission railway@vantage, now an integral part of the Nokia Siemens Networks GSM-R solution.

Nokia Siemens Networks is the world's No. 1 GSM-R vendor by the number of commercial networks and the length of operational lines, with more than 20 GSM-R networks deployed in 15 countries and serving some 50,000 km of railways.

In the Netherlands, Nokia Siemens Networks has partnered with KPN to set up the joint venture of MobiRail for the Dutch GSM-R market. The upgrade agreement builds on the cooperation between MobiRail and ProRail that dates back to the year 2000.

About ProRail
ProRail provides 6,500 kilometers of tracks and manages 386 railway stations in the Netherlands, serving every day some 5,500 passenger trains with almost 1.2 million travelers and over 350 freight trains with a total carriage of 110,000 tons of goods .It makes the Dutch Railways network one of the busiest in Europe.Thirteen dispatchers manage the train traffic in the Netherlands. ProRail employs 3000 people.

About KPN
KPN is the leading telecommunications and ICT service provider in the Netherlands, offering wireline and wireless telephony, internet and TV to consumers and end-to-end telecom and ICT services to business customers. KPN's subsidiary Getronics operates a global ICT services company with a market leading position in the Benelux, offering end-to-end solutions in infrastructure and network-related IT. In Germany and Belgium, KPN pursues a multi-brand strategy in its mobile operations and holds number three market positions through E-Plus and BASE. KPN provides wholesale network services to third parties and operates an efficient IP-based infrastructure with global scale in international wholesale through iBasis.

At 30 June 2008, KPN served over 35 million customers, of which 28.7 million in wireless services, 4.2 million in wireline voice, 2.5 million in broadband Internet and 0.6 million in TV. With 25,729 FTEs (42,976 FTEs including Getronics), KPN posted revenues of EUR 7.2bn and an EBITDA of EUR 2.5bn in the first half year of 2008. KPN was incorporated in 1989 and is listed on the Amsterdam and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges, having recently delisted from the New York and London Stock Exchanges.