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RDS-TMC is being developed in almost every corner of the EU and we have information to a greater or lesser degree on many projects. The complex detail of these projects cannot be fully covered here but we are focussing on the broadcast sector activity, within the 15 Member States and surrounded country. Initially RDS-TMC coverage of the Trans European Road Network is being given priority and some Member States have very few roads involved.
We ask project managers, country coordinators and all involved in these projects to contact us, to help update the following articles. We can only provide a good service to our readers if you help us, in this dissemination activity!
The following articles are listed in alphabetical order.
ORF, the public broadcaster, is willing to introduce RDS-TMC messages and is involved in the Corvette project to evaluate the situation and requirements for them to become involved with long term service provision.
BRTN, one of the a public broadcasters, is investigating the infrastructure/equipment requirements of providing an RDS-TMC service.
Danmarks Radio is working with the Danish Ministry of Transport Roads Directorate and it is proposed to implement RDS-TMC early in 1998 on two services: Radio 3 carrying the nationwide coverage and Radio 2 giving a regional service. This will involve implementation of the UECP V5.0 and possibly new RDS Encoders.
YLE, the public broadcaster, is working with the Finnish National Road Administration to develop the infrastructure requirements for a national RDS-TMC service, which is scheduled for Q3 1998.
There is considerable activity through the Mediamobile company in the Paris area where RDS-TMC services will be available via a number of different transmissions. Additionally Radio France is investigating a collaborative project with the DSCR to ensure coverage is given to a Pan European Service.
Following the BEVEI trials there were several RDS-TMC implementations underway. In each case the public broadcasters are taking a major role, coordinated through the ARD, with the target of providing services in time for the IFA, Berlin in late August 1997 (in some cases these implementations, used the so-called Type 1A/8A groups implementation). That target was achieved and demonstrated at IFA by Sender Freies Berlin and Südwestfunk. The ODA technique is being increasingly used and RDS-TMC already covers almost all of Germany; Radio Bremen, Ostdeutscher Rundfunk, Brandenburg and Saarländischer Rundfunk are likely to follow by the end of 1997. In most cases, it is likely the broadcasters will become the RDS-TMC Service Provider and Transmission Operator, covering all the system elements needed.
No information at present
RTE, the public broadcaster, is a leader in the use of RDS and is undergoing a major upgrade at present, but their service does not plan to implement RDS-TMC for some time to come.
The CCISS - national traffic information centre - housed at RAI the public broadcaster, will have a new RDS Server installed to allow RDS-TMC messages to be sent to the appropriate transmitter and a full service will start on certain roads, especially the West - East Autostrada in early 1998.
No information at present
The NIKITA consortium has been established and they will operate an RDS-TMC service, generating all TMC messages and passing them directly to Nozema - the Transmission Operator - by-passing any broadcast studios. It is not yet clear how coordination with spoken TTI messages will be achieved.
In January 1997, the Rijkswaterstaat commisioned the Nikita consortium to develop the information systems technology and integrated systems for the RDS-TMC service. The information provider will be TIC-Nederland, jointly operated by the KLPD (National Police) and the Rijkswaterstaat. The technical infrastructure should be complete by February 1998 and service will begin one month later.
In Portugal, all eyes are on the 1998 EXPO, and RDS-TMC will be implemented around the greater Lisbon area, including the new Tejo river crossing. The national project team includes the Junta Autónoma de Estradas and RDP, the public broadcaster, who will provide the upgraded RDS Encoders.
An agreement has been reached between the Dirección General de Tráfico and RNE, the public broadcaster, to be the organisation which delivers RDS-TMC. Through the SERTI Project there is a hope to start implementation late in 1997.
The development of RDS-TMC will entail the installation / configuration of nearly100 RDS Encoders, in order to implement the ODA capability needed by RDS-TMC. DGT and RNE are planning this work, but now consider it will delay there service date, somewhat.
The Swedish National Roads Administration has been working on RDS-TMC implementation for some time and are now in discussion with Swedish Radio about implementation. A pilot service is planned to be underway in Autumn 1997.
The National Road Information Centre is just 1 year old and software for the generation of RDS-TMC messages is now under investigation. It is hoped to start a trial in the Bern area soon, but there are no Motorway Exit/Junction numbers commonly used, so a decision about this is needed before a public service would make full sense to the user.
The AA, RAC, C&MT (a private sector datacaster), and the UK Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which undertakes to provide an RDS-TMC service from Spring 1998 along the Dover to Manchester corridor. The broadcast transmission element has still to be announced, but the TMC Service Providers: AA and RAC both have good links to spoken services, already and it is expected that coordination between all services will be achieved.
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Issue date January 03, 2000
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