Five Japanese organizations, including JR Central and NTT Docomo, are developing a specialized onboard communication system for maglev trains traveling at 500 km/h. The project aims to provide stable internet access for passengers on the Chuo Shinkansen line, with research scheduled for completion by the end of the 2027 fiscal year.
The current standard for Shinkansen trains relies on direct connections to ground stations, which would cause frequent signal handovers every few seconds at 500 km/h. Additionally, the Doppler effect at such speeds significantly degrades throughput. The new architecture introduces an onboard base station connected to ground infrastructure via a dedicated 20GHz millimeter-wave backhaul link.
The system is designed to provide a total capacity of 5Gbps, supporting approximately 1000 passengers simultaneously with speeds of 5Mbps each. Four mobile operators will share the onboard base station to ensure compatibility for all users. For internal signal distribution, the team is testing a 28GHz dielectric waveguide solution with multiple radiation points along the carriages.
Practical testing is currently underway on the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line using JR Central experimental trains. The research team plans to conduct high-speed trials at 500 km/h in 2027. Following the successful implementation on maglev lines, the technology may eventually be adapted for use on existing conventional Shinkansen rail networks.
