Line 1 is the busiest on the subway system and runs from Château de Vincennes in south-east Paris to La Défense, an important business district and location of the corporate headquarters of some of the largest companies in France. The line also serves major tourist destinations such as the Louvre museum, and carries an average of 725,000 passengers every day.

As a result of the collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent, Line 1 metros will benefit from real-time video train control, video surveillance and operational data transfer between trains and the control centre. This will enhance safety and the customer experience and optimise operations and maintenance efficiency, as part of RATP Group’s project to transform Métro line 1 into a fully-automated ‘driverless’ system.

A new ground-to-train data transfer system (TDST) will allow real-time monitoring of the flow of data between the driverless trains and central control. Twin cameras at the front and back of each train provide real-time video control to the centre, while video surveillance streamed in real-time from the cameras inside each metro car enhances passenger security.

The system includes the provision of passenger information services, including on-board TV programmes, advertising and updates for travellers and visitors to Paris. In addition, TDST provides rapid notification of maintenance requirements, reducing response and repair time and improving the efficiency of the service.

Alcatel-Lucent’s smooth implementation of the TDST system has enabled the seamless transition from driver to driverless operation without any interruption to service on the line, a very new and very different approach to upgrading passenger rail networks. Previous implementations of this type have required that rail services be closed for some time to implement the changes.

Pascal Homsy, Alcatel-Lucent France chairman and CEO said, “Alcatel-Lucent has a long history of delivering innovative secure communications solutions for the metro environment. Our expertise in this industry meant we were able to provide a highly efficient solution to transform RATP’s network and deploy it without disrupting daily operation.”

Under this agreement Alcatel-Lucent delivered a complete end-to-end integrated system with full Wi-Fi coverage over 18km of track for Line 1 of the Paris Métro system, including comprehensive services such as design and integration. In addition, Alcatel-Lucent provided an on-board interface connecting all subsystems including video-surveillance cameras, and multimedia screens located in train carriages.

City.Mobi

Also in France today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Paris.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Paris.city.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.