Beijing, China

China may soon offer passengers a seamless experience by offering them 5G connectivity to watch ultra-high-definition videos or enjoy online gaming on their smartphones while travelling in high-speed trains at 1,000 km/h (621 mph)

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The new generation of trains in China will travel through near-vacuum times with magnetic levitation and run faster than commercial airlines.

Currently, the high-speed trains offering 5G networks operate at 350 km/h, even through long tunnels. However, the challenge arises while travelling at near-sonic speeds and staying connected to mobile phones at the same time. This is because the frequency of the signal changes while travelling at high speeds, disrupting data communication. Moreover, the base stations cannot be installed close to the tubes, which may pose a threat to the rapidly moving train.

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The research team at the National Key Laboratory of Mobile Communications at Southeast University discovered that laying two parallel cables on the inner wall can “leak” electromagnetic signals and help in maintaining a stable connection between smartphones and service providers.

Additionally, the team led by Professor Song Tiecheng found that efficient codes can be used to solve the issue of disturbances in the frequency changes. This method has been verified by computer models for maintaining 5G communication quality during travel. The paper was published in the journal Railway Signalling & Communication last month.

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China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation engineers were also part of the research and have built the world’s largest research centre for vacuum-tube maglev trains in Datong, Shanxi province. They have started high-speed propulsion on the prototype projects. Many Chinese cities are awaiting permission from Beijing to build the first commercial vacuum tube maglev line. 

This “hyperloop” was first proposed by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. This technology can also be used in spacecraft and help lower the cost. However, Musk did not continue the project due to technological and financial constraints. 

(With inputs from agencies)