Rail connectivity in 2024: A year of commercial breakthroughs

As we reflect on 2024, the rail industry has reached a pivotal moment in its digital transformation journey. With increasingly bandwidth hungry passengers’ devices, this year has marked a significant shift from theoretical possibilities to practical implementations, particularly when it comes to high-speed connectivity. We’ve seen rail operators worldwide increasingly recognise that enhanced connectivity isn’t just about passenger Wi-Fi anymore, it’s about enabling the next generation of rail operations, from advanced safety systems to improved operational efficiency.

Most encouragingly, this year has seen commercial railways successfully introducing Gigabit Train capabilities, building confidence that mmWave technology can bring significant impact and speeds that passengers have demanded for years. These implementations are proving we can deliver without relying on traditional technologies that have historically failed to deliver. However, significant work remains to ensure railways fully understand all the benefits that mmWave can bring. From uncontended high bandwidth to removing data costs from balance sheets, these advantages can be achieved with minimal impact on existing infrastructure, both trackside and on-trains.

Commercial deployments leading the way

2024 has been particularly exciting for rail connectivity, with several landmark deployments demonstrating the viability of next-generation solutions. The successful implementation at Caltrain in Silicon Valley showed what mmWave technology can achieve. Alongside this, we’ve seen the completion of mmWave’s implementation on a major commuter rail line in the UK, as well as several European test tracks, each providing valuable insights to ensure successful implementation of mmWave technology on rail.

Technology breakthroughs of 2024

Alongside the exciting implementations of our mmWave technology for rail, there have been a number of other notable technology progressions within the industry. IoT integration has moved from concept to reality, with sensors now actively monitoring infrastructure, trains and environmental conditions across networks. The advancement of Autonomous Train Operations (ATO) has been particularly noteworthy, while the transition from GSM-R to FRMCS continues to gather pace. We’ve also seen significant progress in energy-efficient technologies, with innovations in hydrogen high-pressure tanks and energy management systems for hydrogen and battery-electric trains contributing to more sustainable rail transport.

The rise of mmWave solutions

In 2024 we have seen mmWave technology truly come into its own in the rail sector. The ability to deliver gigabit-per-second connectivity at speeds exceeding 300 km/h has proven transformative. What’s particularly encouraging is seeing commercial railways introducing Gigabit Train capabilities, building confidence that standard-based technology can deliver the speeds passengers have demanded for years.

Blu Wireless’s mmWave solution differentiates itself through vertically integrated networking solutions, providing a full turnkey solution from the physical layer to application layers, which can be tailored to various complex environments. The technology is inherently low power, making it a more sustainable option compared to traditional 5G NR. Our experience with tunnelling and weather-adverse conditions has particularly strengthened our understanding of rail operators’ needs beyond pure technical specifications. This has been crucial in developing solutions that address the full spectrum of operator requirements: safety, punctuality, cost savings and passenger experience.

Rural and commuter lines: A tailored approach

Another interesting development this year has been our work with network rail operators and train operating companies across different types of routes. While rural, commuter and high-speed lines each require different approaches in terms of capital investments and ridership numbers, they all share a common need: access to connectivity for both digital equipment and passengers. Our work with network rail operators and train operating companies not only to find the best engineering design but also to support a wide set of different commercial approaches has proved vital in the year just passed.

Looking ahead to 2025

As we look towards the rest of 2025, several key challenges arise. Budget constraints following the events of 2020 remain a priority for governments and train operating companies. The key challenge will be to find the most efficient ways to improve services to ensure more and more people than ever before ditch their cars (or flights) in favour of train journeys. Although with that said, we’re seeing encouraging trends, including the return to fashion of “slow-travel” and increasing preferences for train journeys over cars or flights. Notably, the FS Foundation in Italy launching refurbished tourist rail services and the UK’s major series of events to celebrate the 200th anniversary since railways were invented, with the first locomotive built in Derby.

The demand for advanced capabilities continues to grow as we move into 2025. Front-facing AI camera systems and ultra-advanced train controls require reliable, low latency, synchronous access to networks and the cloud. Our mmWave technology is today’s answer to these requirements, without waiting for 6G or the anticipated WiFi8 in 2030.

From a business development perspective, 2025 presents exciting opportunities to build on our commercial successes. Our focus will be on helping rail operators understand and implement the full potential of mmWave technology; from uncontended high bandwidth to removing data costs from balance sheets, all while minimising the impact on existing infrastructure. Working closely with network rail operators and train operating companies throughout 2024 has given us invaluable insights into their commercial and operational needs. This understanding will be crucial as we continue to develop flexible business models that align with different operators’ requirements, whether for rural, commuter or high-speed lines.

Our 2024 deployments with Caltrain and our major UK projects have shown that successful implementation relies on more than technical excellence. It requires a deep understanding of the unique operational challenges each operator faces and tailored solutions to meet them. As we move into 2025, this experience positions us perfectly to support operators in achieving their key targets.

This year I anticipate a marked shift in the conversation from “why implement high-speed connectivity?” to “how quickly can we deploy?” The commercial benefits are increasingly clear, demonstrated by tangible examples from our successful implementations. As more operators experience these successes firsthand, we anticipate accelerated adoption across the industry. The rail sector stands at a turning point, with connectivity reshaping its future like never before. At Blu Wireless, we are proud to work alongside operators worldwide, guiding them through this digital transformation and unlocking the true potential of connected rail. The progress made in 2024 extends beyond technology; it redefines what modern rail operations can achieve during the year ahead and beyond.

Find out more about LightningBlu