Success Stories
Gigabit Zug 2030
High-Speed Mobile Connectivity Innovation Showcase
Icomera carried out a pioneering research project, ‘Gigabit Zug 2030’
(“Gigabit Train 2030” / GZ-30), with its long-time client and partner, Deutsche Bahn.
The Challenge
GZ-30’s principal aim was to develop and test innovative concepts for train-to-ground communications, and onboard connectivity for passengers and connected devices on trains. The trial also provided a means of assessing the technical and commercial feasibility of providing gigabit connectivity for trains.
The Solution
Icomera combined innovative technologies including Starlink LEO satellite connectivity, novel cellular antenna technology using a sectorised approach, and Wi-Fi 7 Access Points to demonstrate how seamless, gigabit-speed Internet connectivity can be delivered to high-speed trains on commercially active lines.
The Results
The Icomera X-Series router combined 2 satellite links with 10 cellular connections, setting a new industry standard for onboard connectivity and measuring an average throughput of 784 Mbps over a 2.5 hour test ride, with a median of 762 Mbps and a peak performance that exceeded 1.6 Gbps, delivering an exceptional level of capacity.
Key Icomera Solutions
The Background
The GZ-30 research project was co-funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMDV) through its Innovative Netztechnologien (InnoNT) Programme.
The tests took place on high-speed lines across Germany, evaluating important parameters such as total network throughput, coverage, latency, and connection stability over the entire route.
The Technology
Satellite x Cellular Antennas: High-Capacity Aggregated Connectivity
The GZ-30 trial provided a means of demonstrating the viability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations to reach gigabit connectivity on high-speed rail vehicles.
Icomera and Deutsche Bahn installed 2 Starlink satellite antenna tiles onto the vehicle and seamlessly aggregated satellite and cellular communication links using its SureWAN™ algorithm, supporting the hardware using its ICONIC network monitoring software suite.
Low Earth Orbit Satellite Connectivity: The Sky’s (No Longer) the Limit
As an authorised reseller of Starlink for rail, Icomera demonstrated how its satellite connectivity solution for trains can enhance transport operators’ digital strategies by integrating high-throughput, low-latency satellite Internet connectivity with its robust onboard network platform.
Sectorised Antennas
Omni-directional antennas have historically been a mainstay for public transport connectivity solutions due to their simplicity and broad coverage. However, their all-encompassing design often yields interference, reduced signal quality, and limited throughput, particularly when multiple frequency bands or networks vie for bandwidth at the same time.
For the trial, Icomera deployed sectorised antenna technology, which resolve these challenges by dividing the coverage area into discrete segments or “sectors,” each optimised to track signals from a particular direction or frequency band.
Icomera X7: Scalable, Future-Proof Connectivity for Rail
At the heart of the Gigabit Zug network was the X7: Icomera’s flagship high-performance mobile connectivity and applications hosting platform, purpose-built for public transport. It unifies future-proof aggregated connectivity, secure virtualised application hosting, and robust built-in storage to satisfy even the most demanding requirements.
The onboard gateway utilised SureWAN™, Icomera’s industry-leading connectivity technology protocol for combining multiple networks (cellular, satellite, trackside) in parallel, providing the fastest, most reliable connection available for onboard systems.
Wi-Fi 7 Access Points: Harnessing the Latest Wireless Standard
An onboard network is only as powerful as its weakest point. Icomera’s A2 Wi-Fi 7 Access Points enhance stability and prevent bottlenecks using wider channels and multi-link technology, while leveraging Wi-Fi 7 (the latest standard in wireless connectivity), ensuring that connected onboard devices receive maximum throughput, even in congested conditions.
- Higher Data Rates: Wi-Fi 7’s improved channel bandwidth (up to 320 MHz) enables gigabit data throughput on each AP.
- Reduced Congestion: Multi-link capabilities help distribute traffic more effectively, so that real-time services (video calls, conferencing) experience minimal jitter or delay.
- Optimised Performance: Advanced modulation techniques, such as 4K-QAM, further improve spectral efficiency, ensuring that each connection is utilised to its maximum potential.
The Results
The results of the trial were impressive. Icomera demonstrated consistent availability and high throughput for the duration of the test. An average throughput of 784 Mbit/s was reached, along with a peak of 1.6 Gbit/s, delivering an exceptional level of capacity for onboard devices, systems, and passengers.
- 2 satellite antennas reached an average throughput of 188 Mbit/s and 169 Mbit/s, respectively, nearly as much throughput as 10 cellular links.
- Sectorised antennas outperformed omnidirectional antennas on average, handling numerous concurrent user sessions while maintaining robust, low-latency connections.
- Tests spanned 7 weeks across a total of 15,000 km (around 9,320 miles).
- 40 Terabytes of data were transferred via 5G networks.
- The total data volume equated to around 20,000 hours of HD video, or about 10 million high-resolution photos.
The Implications for Public Transport
Filling in the Not-Spots
While terrestrial networks are comparatively well-developed throughout Germany, in most cases, train routes pass through large swathes of rural terrain where cellular coverage and capacity along the track may be inconsistent or entirely absent.
In the case of the GZ-30 test, Starlink connectivity was used to fill in regions with sparse cellular availability, however in most other cases, LEO satellites can be used as a primary source of connectivity for the majority of routes, with terrestrial networks taking over when satellite availability drops, particularly in regions like the Arctic Circle where Starlink has lower comparative availability.
Therefore, by aggregating Starlink for rail with other networks, operators can deliver seamless passenger Wi-Fi and operational connectivity, even in the most remote and challenging environments.
The Gigabit Train: A Present-Day Reality
The GZ-30 trial demonstrated that a ‘Gigabit Train’ can become a reality within weeks, rather than years, underscoring the benefits of aggregating multiple technologies to address the challenges of modern rail. The ability to combine disparate sources of connectivity in real-time, even uncorrelated terrestrial and satellite networks, provides a powerful blueprint for digital trains of the future, even far beyond 2030.
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