The First UK Produced 5G Router – Enabling 5G at Sea

JET Engineering System Solutions is proud to announce the development and production of the UK’s first proven in field 5G N28, N78 SA Dual Band Router, with Ethernet and WiFi connectivity, delivered with support from Quectel and the Satellite Applications Catapult. The routers initially will be used to provide 5G connectivity to multiple systems across several DCMS funded 5G RuralDorset initiative projects on or near the sea, before becoming integrated across a much larger eco-system of 5G mesh connectivity.

“The benefits of delivering 5G mesh connectivity at sea will be huge and are critical for attaining the projected global 2030 Blue Economy value of £3.2 trillion¹.” Said James Thomas, JET CEO and Co-Founder.

“That is why JET Engineering System Solutions’ 5G router is such an important first and key part of our expanding family of proprietary equipment that will support increasingly data-driven operations in industries such as offshore renewables, autonomous platforms, aquaculture, decarbonised shipping, smart ports, and safety and security. Our 5G routers and modems will soon be available through UK and US distributors”.

“We’re delighted that JET has selected Quectel modules to enable its activities as part of the UK government’s 5G RuralDorset initiative,” said Charles Mitchell, UK & Ireland Regional Sales Director, Quectel Wireless Solutions. “We’re pleased to be involved in this innovative project and to play our part in helping JET to turn its ambitions into reality. Connecting maritime assets to gather and enable users to act upon communicated data is truly delivering on the promise of IoT to bring greater intelligence to projects on or near the sea and to help build a smarter world.”

The integrated module is the RM500Q, a 5G sub-6GHz M.2 module measuring 52.0mm × 30.0mm × 2.3mm which meets the 3GPP Release 15 specification and is optimized for IoT and eMBB applications. It supports both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) modes and delivers maximum downlink rates of 2.5Gbps and maximum uplink rates of 900Mbps.  The RM500Q’s integrated GNSS receiver greatly simplifies product design and makes positioning capabilities quicker and more accurate.

Kieran Arnold, Director of Ubiquitous Connectivity at the Satellite Applications Catapult, said: “Collaboration is key for innovation, and this UK first is a prime example of how organisations in the UK are collaborating to bring reliable communications not just to one coast in Dorset but with the potential to connect any coastal or rural location around the world. The new opportunities enabled by this router offering 5G connectivity along 15 miles of challenging coastline is fantastic, and we are looking forward to continuing to work with JET to use this capability to improve coastal, beach, and ocean safety.”

For this project, the Catapult team connected the 5G router to their SA 5G core network in Westcott, Buckinghamshire, the same one that will be serving the coastal connectivity trials for the 5G RuralDorset project. The 5G router was tested on the 700MHz frequency, which allows for much wider coverage across rural and coastal areas as well as out to sea. This work included checking all network parameters and resolving any network connectivity issues.

¹ – https://discover.admiralty.co.uk/news/unlocking-the-potential-blue-economy