AWTG is delighted to announce its involvement as the main partner to deliver the groundbreaking project to enhance broadband connectivity along the soon-to-be-reopened railway line between Bicester Village and Bletchley. On behalf of England’s Connected Heartland, Oxfordshire County Council has entrusted AWTG, a leading 5G mobile private network supplier, with the task of providing the solution and deploying vital infrastructure along this key route, following a successful public procurement exercise. AWTG are experts in delivering networks, commercial use cases and connectivity services that benefits passengers, residents and businesses.
This innovative project, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), aims to significantly improve rail passenger connectivity and enable multiple use cases, offering substantial benefits to businesses and residents along the route. In addition to the enhanced connectivity for passengers, there will be an extension of fixed wireless broadband services and delivery of innovative use cases to to rural communities, trackside business parks, and farms, supporting advanced agri-tech applications.
AWTG’s CEO, Abbey Alidoosti, said: “The opportunity to address connectivity issues through this project is incredibly exciting, it provides a blue print 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 railroad 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 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.”
The 5G rail project will also work towards developing a commercial model that combines revenue from enhanced passenger connectivity via onboard Wi-Fi. Train companies will be able to efficiently offload data collected onboard for operational purposes, setting a new standard for railway services.
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.”
About England’s Connected Heartland (ECH)
England’s Connected Heartland (ECH) brings together local authorities in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Central Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Oxfordshire with a mission to accelerate advanced wireless adoption across the region.
Co-ordinated by Oxfordshire County Council, it is creating a blueprint that can be adopted throughout ECH and beyond to benefit the whole of the UK.
About AWTG
AWTG is an end-to-end engineering services and technology solutions provider operating in Telecommunications, Immersive Tourism, Smart Education, Smart Cities, Smart Retail and Shopping, Industry 4.0, Smart Health, New Media, Internet and other markets that employ digital technologies. AWTG’s technology solutions cover Digital Transformation, Rapid Prototyping, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Everything and Software.