Successful Demonstration of 5G (Millimeter Wave) Area Coverage Inside JR Yamanote Line Train Cars

KDDI Corporation and East Japan Railway Company (JR East) announced the success of a demonstration to expand 5G (millimeter wave) area coverage inside a JR Yamanote Line train car. In this first-of-its-kind initiative in Japan, a glass antenna on the train's window received mmWave signals from a trackside base station, which were then amplified and re-radiated inside the car. This new configuration was confirmed to dramatically increase the area capable of 1Gbps communication speeds from approximately 40% to about 97% of the vehicle, overcoming the challenge of signal blockage by the train's metal body. The companies plan to leverage this technology to improve communication quality and convenience for passengers.