Supplier Picked to Deliver Oxfordshire and Bucks 5G Rail and Broadband Project

The Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and England’s Connected Heartland (ECH) have this morning announced that they’ve picked AWTG, a 5G mobile private network supplier, to enhance broadband and mobile connectivity along the soon-to-be reopened passenger railway line between Bicester Village and Bletchley.

The railway line between Bicester Village and Bletchley is part of the East West Rail (EWR) project, which is currently working to improve rail connectivity between Oxford and Cambridge. Passenger services are expected to begin between Bicester and Bletchley in 2025, but it won’t only be the trains and tracks that have been improved.

Funded by the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the 5G Railway project aims to enhance rail passenger connectivity and bring benefits to businesses and residents along the route. There will be an “extension of fixed wireless broadband to rural communities and trackside business parks“, and to farms to support agri-tech applications.

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 additionally seek to develop a combined revenue commercial model for delivering enhanced passenger connectivity through onboard WiFi. Train companies will also be able to offload data collected onboard their services for operational purposes.

Abbey Alidoosti, Chief Executive Officer of AWTG, said:

“The opportunity to address connectivity issues through this project is incredibly exciting, it provides a blueprint 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 railway 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.”

The new project looks set to build on previous efforts to deploy and upgrade trackside fibre optic cables along this route, which will help to provide the backhaul capacity for the new mobile and wireless broadband services.

Councillor The Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, Martin Tett, added: “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.”