“Real Wireless is focused on bridging the gap – not only between the users of wireless and the suppliers of wireless systems and services but also between communications needs and wireless capabilities. That goes for transportation in particular.
The potential uses of wireless in transportation includes everything from ticketing and signalling to safety – and of course passenger connectivity on the move. But the needs, constraints and regulatory environment of transport differ not just between automotive, sea, rail and air sectors, but also within those industries, as was made clear at the recent Cambridge Wireless Event, ‘How Innovation is Reinventing Rail Travel’, which I attended as a Champion of the Automotive & Transport SIG.
The UK rail industry in particular is divided both in terms of regional franchisees and core business functions. And yet there is a strong desire across the industry to explore ways in which technology can, for example, improve operational aspects such as predictive maintenance and asset management, enhance safety, simplify ticketing, bring high speed internet to trains, automate train management and remove the need for physical signalling infrastructure. This in turn could overcome complexity, lower running costs, improve the customer experience, increase safety and reliability and lessen carbon consumption.
Several of these topics were examined at the event with speakers from various parts of the rail eco system. What was clear was the number of opportunities for wireless to play a key part in so many aspects of rail transport. Change won’t happen overnight – this is a complex industry – and yet here as in all areas of the transport business there is significant investment underway resulting in great innovation potential. The role of Real Wireless is to use our in depth commercial, technical and operational wireless expertise to show how wireless in particular can make that potential a reality.”
John Okas, Real Wireless Strategic Wireless Business Expert
