Finnish telecoms, IT and consumer electronics company Nokia Oyj (HEL:NOKIA) (NYSE:NOK) and German railway company Deutsche Bahn have deployed the world's first commercial 1900 MHz (n101) 5G radio network with a standalone core, operating on live outdoor test tracks in Germany, Nokia announced on Monday.

Designed to meet the mission-critical requirements of railways, the solution aligns with the upcoming Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) standard.

This deployment marks a key milestone in the industry's migration from GSM-R to FRMCS, which will enable real-time communication between trains and infrastructure, support automation, and enhance network resilience. Built with failover, self-healing, and real-time monitoring, the system ensures high availability for rail operations.

Located at Deutsche Bahn's digital test field in the Ore Mountains, the network is already running on live trains. The technology will also contribute to the European FP2-MORANE-2 project, advancing rail digitalisation across the continent.

The agreement builds on earlier Deutsche Bahn trials with Nokia's 5G standalone core and 3700 MHz (n78) network, now expanded to include Nokia's 1900 MHz equipment from its AirScale portfolio. The solution aims to increase capacity, improve efficiency, and deliver an enhanced passenger experience while preparing European railways for a fully digital future.