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England’s Connected Heartland has selected AWTG as the 5G Mobile Private Network supplier for its 5G Rail project.
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The project will serve as a best-practice blueprint, applicable for replication along other sections of the track, and along similar railways throughout the UK.
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Anticipated work on this high-profile project is expected to commence immediately.
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The ECH programme is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
England’s Connected Heartland (ECH) has revealed its chosen supplier for a ground-breaking 5G Rail project. Following a public procurement process, AWTG has been selected to deploy a 5G Mobile Private Network along a section of track between Bicester and Bletchley.
Why a 5G Rail project?
Each 5G Innovation Region, including our own, England’s Connected Heartland, has pinpointed specific implementation projects aimed at boosting the adoption of advanced wireless connectivity. In our area, Advanced Manufacturing and Rail have been recognised as key sectors and are selected for our initiatives. When we refer to connectivity in rail, we’re not talking about physical rail connections; rather, we mean the ability for rail passengers to connect their devices to the internet through a reliable network.
5G technology offers significant advantages for the rail industry, including improved passenger connectivity via onboard Wi-Fi and the capability to offload data collected onboard trains for operational efficiency. Internet of Things (IoT) devices collecting data onboard trains such as sensors, cameras, payment machines, and more can contribute to operational efficiency.
Moreover, Oxford and Cambridge are two globally renowned centres of education, technology, and business that the East West Rail project will improve transport links between. Students, businesspeople, and those travelling for leisure between these areas deserve excellent connectivity on their devices. But getting a dependable connection on a train is a challenge, because mobile signal masts are sparse and the signal is weakened by railway carriages.
Without becoming too technical, there is currently no blanket solution for improving mobile connectivity on all UK trains, but the ECH team and AWTG have a solution that fits the type of railway for the 5G Rail project.
The 5G Rail Project
Mobile network surveys by ECH show that mobile services along the line between Bicester and Bletchley are intermittent, and reception on the new train services is expected to be extremely poor. Both coverage (the area that devices can connect to a network) and capacity (the amount of traffic a network can manage) are currently limited on this stretch of line. The ECH 5G Rail project’s core aim is to enhance rail passenger connectivity, but 5G, as a type of advanced wireless connectivity, can offer even more. The novel solution will provide specific coverage to the section of rail track but also coverage and capacity to the adjacent areas, extending the fixed wireless broadband to rural communities and trackside business parks, and to farms to support agri-tech applications.
Extending the benefits of the new network is key in making the new network a financially sustainable business model. Once up and running, the ECH programme plans to fund the rail connectivity for the pilot project between Bicester and Bletchley for one year so that the benefits can be evidenced to train operating companies and local trackside businesses keen to exploit the potential of 5G. This is a combined revenue commercial model for delivering enhanced passenger connectivity, and once the new network is successful on the stretch of rail between Bicester to Bletchley, ECH anticipates that the journey will continue through repeating the project further along the track of the East West Rail line.
Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This ambitious project represents a significant leap forward in improving onboard passenger connectivity, and better connecting Oxfordshire’s rural communities. I am optimistic it will become a blueprint to be replicated on other similar railway routes both locally and nationally. AWTG’s expertise will allow us to deliver the vision we share with England’s Connected Heartland partners in Buckinghamshire to pioneer a connectivity solution for passengers and be a leader in digital innovation.”
Abbey Alidoosti, Chief Executive Officer of AWTG, said: “The opportunity to address connectivity issues through this project is incredibly exciting, it provides a blueprint on the best solution for connectivity for rail passengers and trackside communities. We look forward to deploying a solution that not only boosts the passenger experience but also offers invaluable support to the railway industry as a whole. The same solution that addresses digital divide and provides the much needed broadband services for trackside businesses. We are eager to see the outcomes of this initiative and its positive impact on the community and businesses.”
Councillor Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said: “We are delighted to have the first England’s Connected Heartland 5G Rail project in Buckinghamshire, which builds on the strategic investment we and other partners previously made in trackside fibre along this route. While 5G is often seen merely as a faster version of 4G, its potential extends far beyond that, offering significant advantages for the UK rail industry. We anticipate that once the benefits of 5G connectivity are proven, awareness and demand for 5G networks in the rail industry will grow exponentially. We are thrilled to be part of a collaboration that will demonstrate these benefits and provide a blueprint for replicating our project to bolster the UK economy.”
David Hughes, CEO of East West Rail, said: “We are delighted that a section of our new railway has been chosen to pilot this exciting new scheme. East West Rail is all about economic growth, it’s about supporting businesses and obviously enhanced wifi connectivity is absolutely crucial to that, so we are really pleased to be involved in this roll out of 5G connectivity. It absolutely fits with the vision and purpose of East West Rail.”
Further Reading:
- Read more about the 5G Rail Project and its objectives.
- Discover the benefits of 5G for the Rail and Advanced Manufacturing industries.
- Read the press release from Oxfordshire County Council.
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