Telefonica Deutschland, which provides services under the O2 brand name, is constructing a gigabit train route to test 5G connections for rail passengers alongside project partners Deutsche Bahn, Ericsson and Vantage Towers.

The 10km Gigabit Innovation Track (GINT) test route is being built in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and comprises 13 cell phone masts operating in the 3.6GHz frequency band between Karow and Malchow. 

The aim is to offer rail passengers and mobile phone customers gigabit transfer rates for voice and data connections in the future. The EUR6.4 million (USD6.9 million) project is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). The construction of the gigabit route is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023, with the first test drives set to begin in spring 2024.