NBTC steps in to tackle Skytrain automated operation system problem

[webfact]

NBTC steps in to tackle Skytrain automated operation system problem

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

THE NATIONAL Broadcasting and Telecom Commission (NBTC) will today step in to help solve the radio frequency interference problem that has hit Bangkok’s Skytrain service, causing a commuter nightmare for two consecutive days this week.

 

Skytrain operator BTS plc (BTSC), Dtac and TOT plc will attend a meeting today, hosted by the NBTC, to tackle the issue. 

 

The Skytrain operator has said its train management communication system, using the 2,400 MHz radio frequency, has experienced interference making it unable to operate trains automatically.

 

Switching to a manual mode has caused delays of BTS trains on both the Sukhumvit and Silom lines since early Monday.

 

Takorn Tantasit, the NBTC secretary-general, said the agency had sent its mobile unit to collect information and check the use of radio frequencies at major BTS stations along the routes to determine the cause of interference. 

 

Shortly after 6am yesterday, BTSC announced on its Twitter page that there was a system malfunction between the Chong Nonsee and Surasak stations and trains would be delayed by 10 minutes. At 7.18am it announced that the Silom line had developed signal problems again and trains would be delayed by 10 minutes.

 

Dtac, one of the country’s major mobile phone operators, also uses frequencies that are close to the same range.

 

Dtac has denied its mobile frequency band has interfered with the BTS automatic traffic management system. Prathet Tankuranan, deputy CEO of DTAC, said the state-owned TOT licensed the 2,300 MHz bandwidth to the firm and no transmission of signals is beyond the allocated bandwidth. He said Dtac is ready to work with BTSC to solve the problem.

 

A Chulalongkorn University engineering lecturer had hinted that the inference might be caused by the 2,300 MHz bandwidth mobile signal because skytrains use 2.4 MHz and 5 MHz radio signals for WiFi communications in the automatic traffic management system.

 

In addition, BTSC may seek approval from the NBTC to use another radio frequency which is dedicated to its control system rather than using the current 2,400 MHz, so there is no possibility of interference.

 

According to BTSC, radio frequency interference has been detected at several BTS stations, especially Siam and Prompong stations. 

 

The popularity of Wifi services in the busy Sukhumvit area, where one of the major Skytrain routes is operating, is another factor contributing to the interference since the current BTS communication system has no special feature to avoid interference.

 

Commuters have called on the company to provide more long-range information so that the public can adjust their plans and avoid extended delays, especially during rush hours.

 

The Skytrain operator earlier suggested that there would likely be delays until the end of this year until an expanded service from Baring to Samut Prakan is operational along with the new train management and control system.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30348690

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-27

[Darcula]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

According to BTSC, radio frequency interference has been detected at several BTS stations, especially Siam and Prompong stations. 

 

A swift crackdown on uploading selfies to FB around these stations should do the trick. Be prepared for a vast majority of the city's population to go into cold turkey mode.

 

[electric]

From the OP ....

 

commuters have called on the company to provide more long-range information so that the public can adjust their plans and avoid extended delays, especially during rush hours

 

Yeah right. The above is the first thing that crosses your mind while standing in a packed BTS train that hasn't moved for 15 minutes. What a load of BS

 

"golly gee whiz old chap .... I wish I had adjusted my plans for this train trip."

 

More likely you'd be thinking "Geezus ... why can't some prick push the GO button and get this bastard moving."

 

 

 

 

[bluesofa]

I noticed in critic suggested that, "The train service providers need to learn their lesson and figure out what to do to avoid any repeat in the future,"

 

Yup, that's today oxymoron: learn their lesson and figure out what to do to avoid any repeat in the future.

 

[webfact]

Commuters face more BTS Skytrain delays

By The Nation

 

Passengers wait in lines to board a Skytrain Wednesday morning.

 

Bangkok Transit System plc (BTSC) announced that passengers of its Skytrain services will face more delays today as an issue regarding wireless communication signals on its automated traffic control system persists.
 

BTSC announced on its Twitter page at 8.30am Wednesday that there were glitches in the wireless communications signals for the system that controls traffic on both the Silom and Sukhumvit routes.

 

The glitches had caused some trains to move at low speed and stop longer at stations, the Twitter message added.

 

BTSC said its wireless signals that is used for trains to communicate to each other and to the control system were interfered by the radio frequency of a mobile phone operator. The system uses both 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bandwidths.

 

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will hold a meeting of BTSC and TOT Plc representatives on Wednesday to address the interference issue. TOT owns a 2,300 MHz radio bandwidth for its mobile phone operations.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30348721

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-27

[NCC1701A]

WiFi frequencies and or WiFi modulation for train control telemetry?

 

MORONS!

 

They should have their own set of frequencies for data transmission.

 

common practice for decades in the west.

 

 

 

[eggers]

Perhaps banning use of smart phones at stations & on trains, may help???

Imagine that!! 

People would be dumb-founded, & stupefied; be impossible to cope w/o games, selfies(lonelies) & inane Msging!!

 

Though seems a bigger prob with phone service providers towers interfering with BTS signalling, surely must be able to  isolate the BTS signalling on diff frequency to phone frequencies!!

[mtls2005]

15 minutes ago, eggers said:

Though seems a bigger prob with phone service providers towers interfering with BTS signalling,

 

It seems like interference from TOT/DTAC has been ruled out.

 

Maybe more related to the new signaling system they are installing, and perhaps some issues with 2.4 GHz WiFi.

[Jonmarleesco]

I'd like to be able to say unbelievable. Unfortunately, I can't.

[Jonmarleesco]

'BTSC said its wireless signals that is used for trains to communicate to each other and to the control system were interfered by the radio frequency of a mobile phone operator.'

 

The first time in all these years? Yeah, right. 

[Lupatria]

...and no one blamed the Japanese who designed the system so far? Unbelievable.

[new2here]

I’ve held the belief that people at their most basic level respond to three basic “threats” or forms of punishment/adverse actions or whatever you choose to call it..

They are: a) loss of their stuff — call me money, assets or the like

b) loss of their freedom - call me inprisonment or the like and c) public embarrassment - call me loss or face 

 

to me, if the government really and truly wanted the issue fixed — quickly and correctly, I’d argue they need to start using a, b and/or c.

 

Start seizing major assets, imposing and seizing bank accounts for fines... start putting people into incarceration and start “naming and shaming” proven offenders, and I’d bet you see permanent fixes coming PDQ...  

 

Now, I’m not advocating the use of a, b or c here in this case.. but at the end of the day I do think that given the impact that something like the BTS has on Bangkok, that there is a real mandate that the government take action and start holding feet to the fire.  

 I cede that this is Thailand and as such things operate differently, but in the end, I think that if they really were to started laying down the law, imposing substantial fines, tossing company employees in jail and naming/picturing those found to be negligent, you’d see action.

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by new2here

[BEngBKK]

I think all will be solved with some monk bleassing the train snd some amulets and tokens for the drivers

[MaxLee]

6 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

WiFi frequencies and or WiFi modulation for train control telemetry?

 

MORONS!

 

They should have their own set of frequencies for data transmission.

 

common practice for decades in the west.

 

 

 

They prefer to bottleneck everything into ONE frequency.....

[timendres]

My bet? Very large invoices were paid for high-end, commercial communications equipment with high power output, custom antennas, and sophisticated signal processing. But for some inexplicable reason, off the shelf, consumer grade equipment with low-power output, cheap antennas, and common signal processing was installed.

[expat_4_life]

2 hours ago, timendres said:

My bet? Very large invoices were paid for high-end, commercial communications equipment with high power output, custom antennas, and sophisticated signal processing. But for some inexplicable reason, off the shelf, consumer grade equipment with low-power output, cheap antennas, and common signal processing was installed.

My addition to this astute observation is that this is not a particularly Thai phenomenon, rather

more like a government procurement waste/abuse everywhere/anywhere thing !!

Edited June 27, 2018 by expat_4_life

[Classic Ray]

5 hours ago, Lupatria said:

...and no one blamed the Japanese who designed the system so far? Unbelievable.

The BTS system and its original signalling were designed and installed by a German company, and the replacement signalling comes from a multinational company with its HQ on the North American continent. You may be thinking of the Red Line that has Japanese signalling. The Purple Line has signalling from the same multinational as BTS.