Long-term evolution broadband takes super-fast ride

Representatives from network and telecommunications equipment supplier Huawei last week demonstrated the company's long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband running on the super-fast Maglev train in Shanghai.

The promotional shot (pictured) of the Maglev train at Huawei's Shanghai campus.

The train runs on a magnetic levitation track that stretches for 31km from the centre of Pudong out to Pudong International Airport. The train reaches a maximum speed of 431km/h with an average speed of 251km/h and a trip from end to end takes approximately seven minutes and 20 seconds.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

Huawei boasts that the LTE network installed along the track will give passengers maximum uplink speeds of 50Mbps with a 99.5 percent successful handover rate between cells.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

A Huawei LTE dongle on display at the Shanghai campus.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

Passengers board the Maglev train.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

The Maglev train reaching maximum speed while connected to the LTE network.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

As the train begins to depart, the connection to the LTE network maintains an average speed of around 46Mbps.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

As the train reaches its maximum speed of 430km/h, the connection is maintained with very few drop-outs. However, as another train passed by, there was a drop-out during the demonstration.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

The LTE dongle uses a SIM card similar to 3G and 2G in mobile phones.

Photo credit: Josh Taylor

The LTE dongle connected to the testing laptop at Pudong station.

At maximum speed, the connection is maintained at an average of 36Mbps.