Digital high-speed test field launched in the Ore Mountains

A digital high-speed test field for rail travel of the future has been launched in the Ore Mountains. A triple 5G network has been set up along a 25-kilometer route between Annaberg-Buchholz and Schwarzenberg. Not only will the new FRMCS railroad radio system be tested there, but also applications in which it is supplemented by public mobile radio networks.

"The digitalization of the transport system is a mammoth task to which we are dedicating ourselves with innovative ideas," said Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) at the launch on Thursday. The digital test field would develop important foundations for innovations in automation and digitalization on the railways. "5G is a must in the future," emphasized Wissing. This applies not only to rail operations, but also to passengers. They expect a stable and powerful internet connection on the train.

For example, remote control of trains is being tested on the line in the Ore Mountains. This requires the transmission of camera data in real time, for example. 5G makes it possible to transmit large amounts of data quickly, including a fast response - known as latency. This not only offers new possibilities for consumers, for example in gaming or downloading videos quickly. It also plays a role for new applications, for example in telemedicine or in connection with artificial intelligence.

The Federal Ministry of Transport has reportedly provided 17.75 million euros in funding for the construction of the 5G network for the "Digital Test Field Railway" in the Ore Mountains. It is being operated by Vodafone, with Deutsche Bahn and Chemnitz University of Technology, which operates a branch office in Annaberg-Buchholz, also involved.