The UK Government has issued a call for companies to participate in a new project which will explore the impact of 5G connectivity in the transport sector.
The Trans Pennine Initiative will explore the impact of 5G connectivity in the transport sector, investigating a number of ways that companies can provide high quality connectivity for train passengers on the Trans Pennine Railway line, a high-speed connection between Leeds and Manchester.
This process of exploration will include efforts to address challenges relating to cost, access and processes, as part of the government’s wider aim to provide uninterrupted mobile coverage and connectivity across the entirety of the country’s main line rail routes.
What type of partner is the government looking for to help deliver the project?
The government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport issued the call for partners for the project, to consult on anticipated challenged and potential technological solutions, information which will prove necessary to facilitate the trial.
In return, companies may be offered the opportunity to deploy trial equipment, and benefit from financial support for installation activities as the trial continues. This will allow participating companies to demonstrate the viability of their products in a live environment to a wide demographic of passengers, which will help them to test the capacity, coverage and security of their networks under a variety of conditions.
How will the project support the UK’s broadband coverage ambitions?
UK Minister for Digital Margot James stressed that connectivity on all mainline rail networks would only become more necessary over time, and that the new project would form a vital element of the country’s broader expansion of connectivity capabilities.
She said: “The importance of fast, reliable and uninterrupted connectivity on our rail network is only going to increase. Projects like the Trans Pennine Initiative will be instrumental in delivering this for passengers, and are all part of our commitment to make the UK a world leader in 5G.”
