Optio CBTC has been successfully deployed on a private 5G network.
CAF Signaling and Cellnex Telecom have achieved a global milestone by successfully validating their Optio CBTC system on a private 5G network deployed and managed by a telecom infrastructure operator.
According to CAF, this project carried out in laboratory and field tests is one of the first of its kind in the world to demonstrate that the CBTC solution works effectively on private 5G infrastructure.
CAF adds that Optio’s integration and validation with 5G represents a paradigm shift, as it provides ultra-fast transmission, low latency, application convergence and cyber-secure communications, all under the rail operator’s control.
Compared to Wi-Fi or LTE, 5G technology provides a unique, reliable and secure environment, making it easier for asset managers and operators to simplify and integrate infrastructure and achieve unprecedented operational savings.
“The primary objective of the project was to promote research and development to integrate ultra-low latency and high capacity 5G connectivity into critical railway systems, including tunnels, thus improving the safety, efficiency and reliability of operations and preparing the infrastructure for the smart mobility challenges of the future,” says Alfonso Alvarez, CEO of Cellnex, Spain.
The project benefited from European Union (EU) co-financing through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), under the Unico 2023 sector programme.
