Kati Kõrbe Kaare

Fifth-generation (5G) networks enable railway digitalization but face signal degradation challenges in high-mobility environments. While the existing literature attributes degradation primarily to Doppler frequency shifts, this study presents empirical evidence challenging this paradigm. Analysis of 13.7 million 5G New Radio measurements across 370 km of Estonian railway reveals that visible cell density, not velocity, dominates signal quality degradation. Nine geographic hotspots exhibit 5.4–18.0 dB degradation at moderate velocities (54–66 km/h, mean 60.2 km/h) with zero high-speed measurements, excluding the Doppler effect as the reason behind service quality degradation. Cell complexity demonstrates a 3.25× stronger correlation with degradation (r = −0.390) than velocity (r = −0.120), consistent with automatic frequency control tracking instability under high cell ID churn rates (40–115 visible cells per location), though direct confirmation of this mechanism requires access to internal modem frequency-lock state data. Frequency band analysis shows that 700 MHz is optimal at 98.1% of locations, with a 19 dB advantage over 3.5 GHz. Degradation mechanism decomposition reveals within-cell effects (60%, 7.85 dB) and handover boundary effects (40%, 2–6 dB). The findings challenge velocity-centric optimization paradigms and recommend network planning focused on cell overlap reduction rather than Doppler compensation enhancement. Practical recommendations include 700 MHz prioritization, handover parameter optimization, and geographic targeting of identified hotspots for European railway 5G deployment.

A well-performing road network is essential for modern society. But any road is nothing without its users—cyclists, drivers, pedestrians. Road network cannot be managed without knowing who the roads serve. The gaps in this knowledge lead to decisions that hinder efficiency, equality, and sustainability. This is why monitoring traffic is imperative for road management. However, traditional short-term traffic counting methods fail to provide full coverage at a reasonable cost. This study assessed the economic feasibility of drone-enabled traffic monitoring systems across Estonian urban environments through comparative spatial and economic analysis. Hexagonal tessellation was applied to 255 urban locations, identifying 47,530 monitoring points across 4077 grid cells. Economic modeling compared traditional counting costs with drone-based systems utilizing ultralight drones and nomadic 5G infrastructure. Monte Carlo simulation evaluated robustness under varying operational intensities from 30 to 180 days annually. Analysis identified an 8-point density threshold for economic viability, substantially lower than previously reported requirements. Operational intensity emerged as the critical determinant: minimal operations (30 days) proved viable for 9.0% of locations, while semi-continuous deployment (180 days) expanded viability to 81.6%. The findings demonstrate that drone-based monitoring achieves 60–80% cost reductions compared to traditional methods while maintaining equivalent accuracy (95–100% detection rates for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians), presenting an economically superior alternative for 67% of Estonian urban areas, with viability extending to lower-density locations through increased operational utilization.

This paper analyzes the exploitability, economic viability, and impact of fleet-based 5G network extensions implemented in maritime environments, focusing on the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean as a case study. Through cost–benefit analysis and business model validation, we demonstrate how multi-hop 5G connectivity can reduce communication costs while improving service quality for maritime operators. Our findings indicate that implementing vessel-based 5G relay stations can achieve 80–90% coverage in key maritime corridors with a break-even period of 2–3 years. The study reveals that combining vessel-to-vessel relaying with strategic floating base stations can reduce connectivity costs by up to 40% compared to traditional satellite solutions, while enabling new revenue streams through premium services. We provide a detailed economic framework for evaluating similar implementations across different maritime routes and suggest policy recommendations for facilitating cross-border 5G maritime networks and introduce key use cases value creation for network extension.

Urban and suburban level crossings are critical intersection points between rail and pedestrian infrastructure, requiring careful monitoring and analysis of traffic patterns for safety and planning purposes. This paper presents a comprehensive methodology for measuring and estimating pedestrian and cycle traffic at urban and suburban level crossings. A dual-component system is introduced that considers separately regular crossing users and rail transport passengers, acknowledging their distinct temporal patterns. Three distinct temporal patterns were identified for both pedestrian movement and rail passenger flows through analysis of fixed counter data and passenger statistics, while a singular pattern was determined for cyclists. The methodology was validated at 14 railway crossings, establishing minimum requirements for measurement duration and optimal timing. The results indicate that counting periods of at least 24 hours are required, with optimal accuracy achieved during the spring and autumn months. This approach provides optimal resource usage for achieving adequate accuracy. Data collection and estimation supported by this framework will provide the grounds for evidence-based decision-making in railway crossing infrastructure planning and safety assessment.

In the era of Industry 4.0, the digital transformation of industrial systems necessitates advanced wireless communication solutions that are both agile and secure. Private 5G networks, characterized by their unparalleled bandwidth, reduced latency, and fortified security, have emerged as a beacon of innovation in this paradigm shift. This study explores the feasibility of deploying private 5G networks across diverse enterprises, underpinned by a robust methodological framework. Drawing from contemporary research, it is evident that while 5G promises transformative benefits for sectors like logistics, manufacturing, and autonomous vehicles, its adoption is riddled with challenges such as network oversaturation and frequency coordination. Analyzing 2006 companies, our findings reveal that only 103 enterprises align with the optimal criteria for private 5G network implementation, highlighting the intricate balance of spatial, economic, and regulatory considerations. This research not only offers a strategic roadmap for businesses and stakeholders but also positions private 5G networks as a pivotal tool for achieving operational excellence, enhanced data privacy, and seamless connectivity in the modern industrial landscape.

In the era of Industry 4.0, the digital transformation of industrial systems necessitates advanced wireless communication solutions that are both agile and secure. Private 5G networks, characterized by their unparalleled bandwidth, reduced latency, and fortified security, have emerged as a beacon of innovation in this paradigm shift. This study explores the feasibility of deploying private 5G networks across diverse enterprises, underpinned by a robust methodological framework. Drawing from contemporary research, it’s evident that while 5G promises transformative benefits for sectors like logistics, manufacturing, and autonomous vehicles, its adoption is riddled with challenges such as network oversaturation and frequency coordination. Analyzing 2006 companies, our findings reveal that only 103 enterprises align with the optimal criteria for private 5G network implementation, highlighting the intricate balance of spatial, economic, and regulatory considerations. This research not only offers a strategic roadmap for businesses and stakeholders but also positions private 5G networks as a pivotal tool for achieving operational excellence, enhanced data privacy, and seamless connectivity in the modern industrial landscape.

This paper provides a study of the different alternatives that are being considered in the 5G-ROUTES project to establish seamless 5G connectivity in a maritime environment both from an architectural point of view and also from the definition of field trials to evaluate the performance and dependability of the proposed solution. As expected, the main challenge in providing 5G connectivity on the sea is to provide coverage over large areas of open water. Thus, as a starting point, this paper presents a measurement campaign that was conducted to assess the current coverage in the Baltic Sea, which concluded that the current terrestrial networks cannot guarantee sufficient coverage. Next, the solution architecture and trials proposed by 5G-ROUTES are described, which are based on the integration of satellite and leading-edge multi-hop connectivity in 5G networks. Utilizing satellite backhaul can potentially overcome the connectivity challenge from the terrestrial domain to the maritime domain, while multi-hop connectivity ensures that coverage is extended among the different ships that are navigating the sea. Furthermore, this paper describes how the project will evaluate, in field trials tailored to this maritime environment, common connectivity key performance indicators (KPIs) such as latency, throughput, availability and reliability. This paper concludes by providing a vision for applying the obtained results and insights to maritime transportation and other remote areas where the deployment of a suitable 5G infrastructure may be challenging or costly. The findings will be used to guide the design of future 5G networks for marine applications and to identify the most effective methods for providing secure and dependable communication in a maritime setting.

5G systems are capable of facilitating remarkable technological advances and promoting sustainability in Internet-of-Things-centric fields, such as the Transport and Logistics (T&L) sector and applications in Connected-and-Automated Mobility (CAM). The current article provides an overview of the latest developments in the applications of the 5G mobile network standard in CAM and is specifically focused on analyzing existing and potential applications within European T&L corridors and subsequent markets. A focused marketplace analysis is conducteFd, highlighting the demands of commercialization clusters within European cross-border markets, as well as an analysis of how some of these demands can supplement the deployment of 5G products and services in the coming years. With the aim of providing a macro-level description of the landscape of 5G applications in CAM, the authors further discuss and classify the markets’ influencing factors according to the PESTEL framework, which is further enhanced to include the recent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The findings display that while 5G is a crucial underlying technology for the establishment of CAM, several factors, such as international security, political coordination at the EU level, and common technological standards across EU member states, will have a central role in the successful deployment of its applications.