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SWEN Brings 5G to Sweden’s Emergency Communications

One of the interesting presentations I attended at Critical Communications World 2026 was on SWEN , the Swedish Emergency Network, being developed by the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency. Like many European countries, Sweden is preparing for the transition from an existing narrowband TETRA network to a new generation of mission-critical broadband communications. Sweden’s current Rakel network has provided critical communications for emergency services and other public safety organisations for many years, but the future requires much more than reliable push-to-talk voice. What caught my attention during the presentation was that SWEN is far more than simply replacing TETRA radios with 4G and 5G devices. The programme is bringing together commercial mobile networks, dedicated spectrum, reinforced coverage, temporary and deployable coverage, mission-critical services, new devices and a long-term migration strategy. Just as importantly, it is being developed in close cooperatio...
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Airbus Envisions Non-Terrestrial Optical Networks for 5G and 6G

When we talk about Non-Terrestrial Networks, or NTN, the discussion usually focuses on satellites providing connectivity directly to users and devices. However, a short presentation from Airbus looked at a very different role for non-terrestrial infrastructure. Andres Catelo, Product Manager for Lasercomms Services & Ground Segment at Airbus Defence and Space, discussed how free-space optical communications could provide extremely high-capacity connectivity through satellites, aircraft and other platforms. The wider vision is to integrate these optical links with terrestrial fibre infrastructure and use them to support future 5G and 6G networks. Rather than replacing terrestrial networks, the idea is to add another high-capacity and highly adaptable layer above them. Airbus is exploring how non-terrestrial optical connectivity could support xhaul, connect network nodes, move traffic between data centres and provide additional routes when terrestrial infrastructure is unavailable or...
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KDDI and JR East Bring 5G mmWave Inside Train Cars Using Glass Antennas

We have looked at glass-based connectivity solutions a few times on this blog, especially the work around transparent antennas and the use of windows as part of the radio network. The idea may sound futuristic, but it is gradually moving from concept demonstrations to more practical deployment scenarios. The latest example comes from KDDI and JR East, who have successfully demonstrated a way to expand 5G millimetre wave coverage inside JR Yamanote Line train cars. The demonstration was completed by 15 April 2026 at JR East’s Tokyo General Rolling Stock Center, with the news release published on 20 May 2026. The train cars used for the test were parked, so this should be seen as an important technical demonstration rather than a live passenger service deployment. The challenge being addressed is easy to understand. The 28 GHz band used for 5G millimetre wave can provide high-speed, high-capacity connectivity, but it is also highly directional and more easily blocked by obstacles. Train...
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KPN, Isala and ANWB Show How Medical Drones Could Become Part of Everyday Healthcare Logistics

Medical drones are often presented as futuristic, but some of the most interesting work is now taking place in very practical healthcare settings. One example is the trial between Isala’s hospital locations in Zwolle and Meppel in the Netherlands, where a medical drone is being used to transport blood products, medicines and samples between care locations. This is a useful follow-up to the discussion on China Telecom’s 5G-enabled UAV medical delivery network. While the Chinese example fits into the broader low-altitude economy narrative, the Dutch example is more about how drones can be safely integrated into healthcare logistics, airspace management and public mobile networks in a European regulatory environment. The trial brings together KPN, Isala, ANWB, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and other healthcare partners. The drone uses KPN’s 4G and 5G networks, with KPN’s Drone Connect service providing insight into network cove...
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5G Takes Medical Delivery to the Skies in China

China’s low-altitude economy (LAE) has been gaining momentum for some time, with drones, eVTOLs and other low-altitude platforms increasingly seen as part of the future urban infrastructure. The story is not just about flying taxis or food delivery. Some of the most practical and socially useful examples are emerging in healthcare, where drones can help move urgent medical supplies, blood, test samples and medicines across congested or hard-to-reach areas. A good example is the 5G UAV medical delivery network developed by China Telecom, Hangzhou Antwork Network Technology and Zhejiang University. The project has been recognised through a GSMA Global Mobile Award for connected health and wellbeing, highlighting how mobile networks can support healthcare applications beyond conventional connectivity. Rather than treating drones as isolated flying machines, the project places them within a wider communications, sensing and operational framework. Proud to win Best Mobile Innovation for C...
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The Evolution of NTN in 3GPP from Release 17 to Release 19

Non-terrestrial networks have moved from early exploration to a more structured and capable part of the 3GPP ecosystem in a relatively short span of time. A recent presentation by Sertaç Kaya at the Global 5G Evolution webinar (embedded below) provided a useful walkthrough of how NTN specifications have evolved since Release 17, highlighting both incremental improvements and some more fundamental shifts. Release 17 marked the starting point for NTN within 3GPP. The focus at this stage was understandably narrow, laying down the baseline architecture and assumptions. Only transparent payloads were considered, meaning satellites acted largely as relays rather than performing any onboard processing. The spectrum options were limited, confined to L-band and S-band in FR1, and bandwidth was modest. The system design also assumed that user equipment would be equipped with GNSS capabilities, which played a key role in handling challenges such as Doppler shift and long round trip delays. Even a...
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5G RedCap Edges Closer to Reality but the Ecosystem Still Needs Time

The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) Research Team recently hosted a webinar examining the current state of 5G Reduced Capability, or RedCap, and its role in the wider 5G ecosystem. The session provided a useful snapshot of where the technology stands today, how it is evolving, and what still needs to happen before it reaches scale. At its core, 5G RedCap is designed to address a gap that has existed since the early days of 5G. While full 5G NR targets high performance use cases and technologies such as LTE-M and NB-IoT focus on ultra low power and low data rates, RedCap sits in between. It is intended for mid-tier IoT applications that require a balance of performance, cost, and energy efficiency. This positioning makes it particularly relevant for devices such as wearables, industrial sensors, cameras, and gateways, where full 5G capability is unnecessary but legacy IoT technologies may not be sufficient. RedCap was introduced as part of 3GPP Release 17, with the enhanced ve...
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China’s Low-Altitude Economy Takes Off with Advanced Connectivity

The concept of the low-altitude economy has gained significant momentum in China over the past few years. It refers to economic activities that take place in airspace typically below 1,000 metres, including drones, urban air mobility, aerial logistics, surveillance, and emergency services. What was once largely experimental is now being scaled up through coordinated policy support, industrial participation, and increasingly sophisticated communications infrastructure. A key enabler of this transformation is the rapid evolution of China’s digital connectivity networks. Operators such as China Mobile are building integrated communication systems that combine terrestrial networks, satellite links, and specialised low-altitude connectivity capabilities. This integrated approach allows communication services to extend beyond traditional ground-based coverage and support applications across air, sea, and land. China Mobile has been expanding what it describes as an integrated air, space, gro...
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Spain’s Connected V16 Emergency Beacon and the Role of Cellular IoT in Road Safety

Since January 2026, drivers in Spain have been required to use a connected V16 emergency beacon instead of traditional roadside warning triangles when their vehicle breaks down or is involved in an accident. What might appear to be a simple flashing light actually represents a sophisticated example of how cellular IoT technologies are being integrated into national traffic management systems. The V16 beacon is designed to be placed on the roof of a vehicle and activated immediately in the event of a breakdown or accident. The device emits a bright amber flashing light visible in all directions, improving visibility for approaching vehicles without requiring the driver to walk along the road to place warning triangles. This alone reduces the risk of secondary accidents, particularly on high-speed roads. The real innovation, however, lies in the connectivity built into this new generation of safety hardware. Certified devices include a GNSS receiver and a cellular communication module. O...
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3D Communication Networks and the Future of Connectivity

Traditional communication networks have largely been designed around a two dimensional view of the world. Base stations are deployed across cities and rural areas, creating coverage footprints that expand horizontally across the landscape. While this approach has supported the growth of mobile communications for decades, the increasing demand for connectivity everywhere is pushing the industry to rethink how networks are designed and operated. The concept of a three dimensional communication network is emerging as a response to this challenge. Instead of relying only on terrestrial infrastructure, future networks are expected to integrate connectivity layers that exist on the ground, in the air and in space. By combining these layers into a unified architecture, it becomes possible to provide seamless coverage across environments that are currently difficult to serve. A 3D communication network brings together several different types of platforms. Traditional ground based cellular netw...
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