Annual Report 2025

Revolutionising in-train connectivity – innovation in motion

A first-of-its-kind rail antenna boosts onboard wi-fi and operational efficiency while delivering cost savings for customers.

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Offering train passengers fast and seamless connectivity onboard is not only an advantage but also a prerequisite for an enjoyable travelling experience. Our flexible solutions support the long-term evolution of onboard connectivity and enable a smooth and continuous deployment of new services and applications within train networks. (Image source: HUBER+SUHNER)

Rail communications reimagined

The arrival of 5G promises improved connectivity for both rail passengers and train operators. That requires infrastructure capable of meeting 5G’s heavy data demands as well as technical challenges such as frequent signal changes, transfers between telecoms networks, and the effects of constant motion on hardware. With our decades of experience in rail, we saw that adding more components to existing rail communication systems was not the way forward – this was a moment to reimagine rail connectivity for the twenty-first century. In partnership with Motion Applied (previously McLaren Applied), we have developed an entirely new rooftop solution that can meet the 5G needs of the rail industry simply, reliably, and cost-effectively, for years to come.

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The HUBER+SUHNER SENCITY® Rail ACTIVE rooftop antenna is an omni-directional, broadband antenna designed for railway applications. It features an integrated compute module, cellular radios, wi-fi access point and GNSS receiver. (Image source: HUBER+SUHNER)

An all-in-one solution

Our SENCITY® Rail ACTIVE rooftop solution combines antenna, modem, router and SIM in one compact device, with just a single ethernet cable for power and data transmission. It’s an improvement on conventional antennas that require multiple radio frequency cables to connect hardware inside the train. Those heavy and bulky cables increase the risk of downtime due to lost signal. They also take up space and add weight. Our rooftop antenna removes these downsides and provides advanced passenger wi-fi performance through Motion Applied’s Fleet Connect software.

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Great Western Railway’s pilot trains use a hybrid system of both signals from mobile phone masts on the ground and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites – a major milestone for UK rail connectivity:. Our SENCITY® Rail ACTIVE rooftop antenna forms a critical part of this enhanced connectivity offering to maintain a constant signal across some of the country’s busiest routes. (Image source: HUBER+SUHNER)

“Leveraging our Formula 1 engineering heritage, together with HUBER+SUHNER we have created a rooftop solution that brings race-bred innovation to rail, delivering smarter, faster connectivity for the future.”

Pablo Garcia Lopez, Director Connected Intelligence, Motion Applied

A convincing business case for train operators

The antenna reduces the likelihood of connectivity issues, and it’s easy to install and upgrade as well. This has real cost benefits for customers, significantly decreasing the total cost of ownership over the life of a train compared to other systems. We expect adoption of 5G by train operators to accelerate as part of the digital transformation of rail travel. Lower costs, reliable performance and future readiness make a strong business case for a solution that can be deployed worldwide. US train operator Amtrak was the first passenger fleet to deploy it at scale. Other large operators include Brightline in the US and Network Rail and Great Western Railway in the UK.

“This all-in-one solution will simplify the upgrade of onboard connectivity, helping our customers to stay competitive and be ready for the next generation of connectivity solutions.”

Christer Johannson, Senior Vice President Railway, HUBER+SUHNER
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