West Midlands transforms trams with Vodafone 5G network

Vodafone is improving tram safety and accessibility throughout the West Midlands Metro network as part of the UK’s first multi-city 5G testbed.

5G will be able to help streamline processes and help staff to identify areas for improvement.  A few areas this will improve include:

• Plugging CCTV systems into the 5G network, giving operators secure and real-time information for every tram.
• Instant information - helps ensure public safety around the clock all whilst reducing congestion.
• New ways of working means operators could replicate the same approach at stops and stations to help further safeguard passengers and manage capacity better.

Instant access to information

Staff are usually restricted to downloading information such as CCTV footage, performance and maintenance data outside of operation hours.

By harnessing the high-speed, high-capacity and low-latency capabilities of 5G, a transport operator no longer needs to wait and can access all this information remotely and securely in real-time.

Improved public safety

Access to real-time information will improve public safety and solve many accessibility issues. When an issue arises, the programme sends an alert to staff who will receive a live video stream over the 5G network, straight to their device.

Until now, this hasn’t been possible on other technologies, but thanks to 5G’s low latency, high bandwidth and capacity, delivering enhanced passenger safety is now achievable.

An informed and up-to-date operator will be far more responsive in maintaining passenger safety – a key consideration in the post-COVID world.

Also, the extra information will help them assess the effectiveness of different measures take, enabling the detection of people and objects far more quickly, and defining where accessibility could be improved.

This is a fantastic example from Vodafone, illustrating how 5G can be transformational for a business.  To find out more about how Intercity can enable your business to do more by harnessing the power of 5G, we have all the typical questions that people ask about 5G covered here.