Oxyfi has completed and commissioned a 5G upgrade across seven rail vehicles for an existing customer. The vehicles’ first-generation dual 4G equipment has been replaced with OxBox 1.3, Oxyfi’s integrated railway connectivity solution featuring dual 5G connections for high capacity, redundancy and stable onboard connectivity. As with all our connectivity deployments, the two connections are combined using Oxyfi’s technology for aggregating multiple data links.
The customer previously experienced poor radio reception. These issues have now been eliminated through the OxBox solution’s tightly integrated 5G modules, high-performance train antenna system and extremely short antenna cables, which minimise signal loss.
Eight to Ten Times Higher Average Data Speeds
Comparative testing indicates average data speeds between eight and ten times those achieved by the previous 4G solution in areas where radio reception was already at an acceptable level. The customer now also benefits from strong radio reception throughout its entire operating area.
Particular attention was given to the long-term mechanical integrity of the installation. Material selection and installation methods, together with a dedicated maintenance routine, have been designed to minimise the risk of galvanic corrosion that can occur when dissimilar metals are combined in the demanding rail environment.
Rail vehicles remain in service for decades, while mobile communications technology evolves much faster. This mismatch between lifecycles creates a clear need for well-timed technology upgrades during the vehicle’s service life.
“This project demonstrates how existing solutions can be modernised to deliver substantial and measurable performance improvements. OxBox also reduces installation time by 50% or more compared with a conventional installation, allowing the work to be completed without taking the vehicle out of regular service —a benefit many of our customers value highly,” says Håkan Larsson, CEO of Oxyfi.