Frequently asked questions about Unwired Edge Cloud.

Unwired provides software and security updates for over ten years, so devices stay current and protected throughout their service life and need replacing less often. Unwired is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, GDPR and NIS2 compliant, and prepared for the Cyber Resilience Act, which makes meeting growing regulatory requirements easier. New functions arrive as software, with no additional hardware to install. Your investment stays sound across the entire lifecycle.

New devices pick up their configuration automatically via Zero Touch Configuration; no technician visit to the vehicle is needed for commissioning. In live operation, Unwired monitors the health of devices, uplinks, and applications through Unwired Edge Cloud observability. Telemetry, metrics, and health checks are available in real time and historically and integrate with your existing monitoring tools. Many faults are caught before they affect operations. Fault resolution follows the agreed service level (SLA) — or you run operations yourself.

The Unwired Edge Cloud is vendor-agnostic and supports routers and access points from vendors such as Netmodule/Belden, Teltonika, and Televic for bus and rail. You can combine devices from different vendors and integrate existing devices instead of replacing an entire fleet. Device management handles all devices centrally on one platform, regardless of vendor. That avoids vendor lock-in and keeps you free to choose the most economical or most available hardware for repeat procurement.

Unwired handles both. Procuring and delivering the onboard equipment — routers, antennas, switches, and cabling — is part of the service. Because the Unwired Edge Cloud is vendor-agnostic, you’re not locked into a single device manufacturer and can equip mixed fleets as well. You get hardware and platform from one source, with a single supply chain and a single point of contact instead of separate hardware and software contracts.

Yes, with information and tools. Our tender template for edge networks shows what such a project needs to cover: radio coverage, applications like passenger Wi-Fi or passenger information, hardware, software, and regulatory requirements. We also share technical background on connectivity and the platform. You draft the tender yourself, vendor-neutral, so multiple providers stay comparable and no requirements get missed once the project is in operation.

Unwired takes on all three phases of your in-vehicle communications network and carries end-to-end responsibility for them. During planning, we provide a vendor-neutral tender template and technical expertise; you write the tender yourself. For hardware logistics, we procure routers, antennas, switches, and cabling through a single supply chain. In operation, we handle commissioning, monitoring through Unwired Edge Cloud observability, and fault clearance. Instead of coordinating multiple suppliers, you get one point of contact and one warranty from tender to operation.

No. The sensors count boarding and alighting passengers anonymously; they don’t collect personal data or identify individuals. Only count and occupancy values per trip and stop are recorded, used for revenue allocation, transit planning, and load display. The Unwired Edge Cloud transmits these values to the backend over the vehicle-to-ground connection and never processes passenger identities itself. Operations run under Unwired Networks’ ISO 27001-certified security processes.

Yes. The central vehicle router runs multiple applications at once in separate containers. Alongside INTERAUTOMATION’s counting application, the same router can provide passenger Wi-Fi with a customizable captive portal, handle network functions, and deliver telemetry data. The applications run in mutually isolated containers with assigned resources, so they share the hardware without interfering with each other. One router thus replaces several standalone devices, cutting hardware, cabling, and maintenance in the vehicle.

With the Deutschlandticket, individual ticket sales matter less as a revenue-allocation key. Revenue is increasingly distributed based on demand, and that requires actual passenger numbers. More and more tenders now require vehicle occupancy data. Automatic passenger counting under VDV 457 v2.1 delivers this data continuously and accurately, instead of extrapolating it from occasional sampling. Operators who retrofit early meet current requirements and are prepared for demand-based revenue allocation.

The rollout runs centrally through Unwired Edge Cloud device management. The counting application is deployed as a container to the vehicle routers, and new devices pick up their configuration automatically via zero-touch provisioning after delivery — no technician needs to visit the vehicle. You distribute configurations and updates fleet-wide, even to vehicles that are temporarily offline; they catch up the next time they’re in service. This lets you bring counting into operation across many vehicles at once.

Occupancy data is transmitted over the Unwired Edge Cloud’s vehicle-to-ground connection. WAN bonding combines multiple mobile carriers into a single uplink for this. If one carrier drops out, traffic automatically shifts to the remaining connections, so data reaches the backend reliably even in transit with poor coverage. If the connection does briefly drop, the vehicle buffers the counts locally and sends them on once signal returns. No counts are lost.

INTERAUTOMATION’s counting systems achieve accuracy of up to 99% under VDV 457 v2.1 — the level typically required for count data to be used in revenue-allocation procedures instead of extrapolating from samples. The Unwired Edge Cloud transmits the captured values reliably to your backend. Accuracy is down to INTERAUTOMATION’s sensor technology; Unwired makes sure the data arrives complete and on time wherever it’s evaluated.

Automatic passenger counting (APC) automatically records boarding and alighting passengers, determining vehicle occupancy. In this solution, responsibilities are clearly split: INTERAUTOMATION supplies the counting sensors and the onboard APC application that handles the actual counting. The Unwired Edge Cloud provides the platform — it runs the counting application via Unwired Edge Compute as a container on the central vehicle router, transmits the data to the control center, and manages the devices through device management. Unwired doesn’t supply its own counting sensors; it supplies hosting, connectivity, and operations for INTERAUTOMATION’s solution.

The Unwired Edge Cloud’s observability features capture telemetry on modems, signal quality, bandwidth, connection drops, device status, and configuration rollouts. The operations team sees in real time which buses are online, which modems switch cells frequently, and which devices show anomalies. Historical data supports root-cause analysis for recurring issues, for example on specific routes or with specific carriers. OpenMetrics interfaces let you integrate the data into existing monitoring and reporting systems.

Unwired Edge Cloud onboard routers include a built-in container environment where additional applications run securely and in isolation. Automatic passenger counting, IBIS-IP passenger information systems, or onboard CCTV integrations can all be activated later, without installing new hardware in the vehicle. The applications are rolled out centrally, updated along with the rest of the system, and managed together through device management. This keeps the platform open for future requirements without over-specifying the initial project.

The Unwired Edge Cloud supports transit operators subject to NIS2 in several ways: processes and delivery are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, safety-critical networks can be cleanly separated from passenger and service networks via VLAN, and observability data provides a solid basis for incident documentation and audits. Updates and security fixes reach the fleet promptly through central device management, giving you a structured way to demonstrate compliance with requirements for the transport and mobility sector.

Operational applications like ITCS integration, electronic ticketing, or the driver terminal share the same vehicle router as passenger Wi-Fi, but run in their own VLANs, cleanly separated from the passenger network. Multi-carrier failover keeps two or more mobile carriers available in parallel; if one carrier fails, another takes over immediately. This keeps the connection to the control center alive even in dead zones or local network outages, without procuring a separate backup modem or dedicated line for every application.

Unwired operates passenger Wi-Fi as a regulated internet service provider in the countries it serves. That means we take responsibility for providing internet access in compliance with the TKG (Germany’s Telecommunications Act), for content filtering, and for obligations toward regulatory authorities. For you as a transit operator, this means the risk of unlawful content on the passenger network doesn’t sit with you. Provision is GDPR-compliant, including traceable logging and clearly separated networks for passengers, staff, and operational applications.

The rollout runs centrally through Unwired Edge Cloud device management. New routers activate via zero-touch configuration after delivery, with no technician needed on board. Configurations, Wi-Fi profiles, and captive portal content are pushed out fleet-wide, even across different bus and router generations. Updates can be distributed asynchronously, so vehicles that are temporarily offline catch up the next time they’re in service. This lets you standardize while still accommodating mixed hardware.

The Unwired Edge Cloud uses WAN bonding to combine multiple mobile carriers into a single uplink. If a carrier drops out in a dip in the terrain or behind a tunnel entrance, traffic automatically shifts to the remaining connections. This keeps passenger Wi-Fi available even where individual providers have poor coverage on a route, and operational applications like ITCS or ticketing benefit from the same connection.

Yes. The Captive Portal connects to existing systems and external data sources through open interfaces. Operators can centrally embed and display content like passenger information, content feeds, contact options, or other service elements in the portal. That reduces manual maintenance, prevents silo setups, and ensures the portal fits cleanly into existing operational and IT landscapes.

The Unwired Captive Portal is designed to fully meet the data protection, security, and accessibility requirements common in public transport. Personal data is processed in line with GDPR, so the entire sign-on and connection process stays transparent and secure for passengers.

For accessibility, the portal meets the WCAG Level AA guidelines. Passengers with different needs can use the service without restrictions.

Communication between vehicle devices and Unwired Edge Cloud is encrypted end to end. The platform itself is operated under ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, which establishes a high standard for information security and quality management.

Operators can deploy the portal reliably in environments with clear legal and industry-specific requirements, while staying compliant with all relevant standards.

The Unwired Captive Portal draws on the comprehensive telemetry infrastructure in Unwired Edge Cloud. Operators get detailed visibility into passenger Wi-Fi usage — session duration, data consumption, user activity, and connection quality across the entire fleet. Device status, SIM performance, and available uplinks are continuously monitored too, so the system state is transparent at any moment.

The telemetry is based on open standards like OpenTelemetry and Prometheus. That lets operators analyze and visualize data flexibly. Dashboards can be built entirely in-house, or developed jointly with Unwired — whichever fits the operations or IT team’s requirements.

This standards-based approach delivers clear, adaptable analytics tools that help keep in-vehicle connectivity stable and reliable.

The Unwired Captive Portal is fully integrated with the certified vehicle hardware managed through Unwired Edge Cloud. Devices connect to the platform automatically, so the portal can be set up, updated, and maintained centrally — with no on-site work required.

Design and content changes are distributed over the air to every vehicle. Operators keep full flexibility: an entire fleet can share one portal, individual vehicle groups can get their own variants, and specific buses or trains can be assigned a unique portal if needed. Rollouts work globally or at very fine granularity.

Combined with cloud-based device management — for firmware, connectivity, and applications — this integration ensures every vehicle always serves the correct, up-to-date version of the passenger portal.

The Unwired Captive Portal is fully customizable through a graphical editor. Operators can build multi-page portals and add a wide range of elements — passenger information, live maps, emergency buttons, support forms, or other interactive components.

External data sources can also be integrated to display dynamic content like real-time service information or partner notices directly in the portal. All changes happen centrally in Unwired Edge Cloud, so layouts, features, and additional components can be added at any time without coding effort.

The portal meets WCAG Level AA requirements and supports multi-language content. The result is an accessible, clear, easy-to-use Wi-Fi entry experience for every passenger.

The Unwired Captive Portal is ready to use within minutes. As soon as the in-vehicle device connects to Unwired Edge Cloud, the portal can be activated and customized through the cloud interface. Colors, logos, and layout are adjusted centrally — no coding, no extra tools. All changes propagate immediately across the entire fleet.

This rapid setup lets operators deliver a consistent, professional Wi-Fi experience for passengers — without major effort and without external development resources.

Unwired Edge Cloud is API-first by design: every function in the UI is also available via REST API. ITSM systems, procurement tools, inventory systems, CI/CD pipelines, and existing monitoring stacks integrate without custom development. Bulk rollouts, scheduled configuration checks, and automatic device onboarding from procurement systems can all be automated. Standards-based interfaces instead of proprietary protocols mean the platform fits into your toolchain rather than adding another silo.

Unwired Edge Cloud is built to scale. From small pilot deployments to fleets with thousands of routers and access points, management runs on the same architecture. Group-based configurations, bulk actions, and parallel rollouts mean operational effort doesn’t scale linearly with fleet size. Tenants, sites, and routes can be modeled hierarchically, with permissions and views set per team. Management stays clear even as the fleet grows significantly over the years.

Unwired Networks is certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001. Security principles like Zero Trust and STRIDE-based threat modeling are built into Unwired Edge Cloud and Unwired Edge Cloud OS. All configuration changes and update histories are logged and audit-ready. For transit operators subject to NIS-2 or similar regulations, Unwired Edge Cloud provides a compliant foundation. Updates continue for ten years and beyond, keeping devices secure even late in their service life.

Yes. Network configuration is part of device management and rolls out through the same cloud platform. Maintain settings like VLANs, uplinks, VPN connections, firewall rules, and Wi-Fi configuration centrally, then assign them to individual devices, groups, or entire fleets. Changes propagate consistently, and offline devices apply them the next time they come online. Underlying network capabilities like WAN bonding and SD-WAN are separate features of the platform, also configured through device management.

OTA (Over-the-Air) updates deliver operating system, software, and security patches from the cloud straight to network devices in the fleet. In Unwired Edge Cloud, device management packages updates, rolls them out to test groups first, then distributes them fleet-wide after approval. Offline vehicles pull pending updates automatically as soon as they reconnect. Thousands of devices stay on a uniform software baseline — no workshop visits, no on-site interventions. Ten-plus years of guaranteed update delivery cover devices across the full vehicle lifecycle.

Unwired Edge Cloud is vendor-agnostic by design and supports devices from leading transit-sector vendors including Lanner, Teltonika, Televic, Belden, Duagon, Teldat, Kontron, Westermo, and Antonics. The only prerequisite: the device must run Unwired Edge Cloud OS. New vendors and models are typically integrated within one to three months. Form-fit-function compatibility means you can mix devices from different vendors in the same fleet, or swap individual models later — without rebuilding device management.

Zero-touch provisioning describes the automatic initial configuration of a new device the first time it powers on — no manual intervention on site. Device management is the broader term: it covers zero-touch provisioning as part of the rollout, but also extends to ongoing configuration changes, OTA updates, inventory, status monitoring, and lifecycle management. Zero-touch provisioning is one function within device management, not a replacement for it. Both are integrated into Unwired Edge Cloud.

Device management for vehicle fleets means centrally administering network devices like routers and access points across the entire fleet. A cloud platform handles inventory, configuration, software updates, status monitoring, and rollout of new devices. Instead of setting up each device manually on site, you define configurations and update strategies once, centrally, then push them to individual devices, groups, or the whole fleet. Unwired Edge Cloud consolidates these tasks in a vendor-agnostic platform built for long-haul operation in transit fleets.

The Edge Compute Platform supports two container standards with different use profiles. OCI containers, often called Docker containers, are the lightweight default. They suit IoT applications, telemetry, sensor data preprocessing, and simple control applications with low resource demands. Startup times are short, memory and CPU usage are low, and they run stably even on embedded hardware with limited resources. Kubernetes containers (also called k8s) offer full cloud-native functionality: declarative orchestration, self-healing, and built-in scaling. They suit high-end applications with complex workloads — for example, orchestrating multiple interconnected services. For most in-vehicle applications in transit operations, the OCI variant is sufficient; Kubernetes is mainly used when existing cloud applications need to be moved to the vehicle with minimal changes.

From December 2027, the Cyber Resilience Act requires manufacturers and operators of connected devices to provide gap-free vulnerability management, regular security updates across the full product lifecycle, a complete software bill of materials, and 24-hour reporting to ENISA on actively exploited vulnerabilities. Containerized applications on a centrally managed platform cover these requirements structurally. Every container version is uniquely identifiable via image digest, updates are rolled out fleet-wide with logging, security patches can be targeted by priority, and SBOMs are maintained per image. NIS-2 requirements for asset management, patch management, and incident documentation are also covered by central control. CRA compliance shifts from a project topic to a routine operational feature.

In-vehicle containers use the established Linux isolation mechanisms: namespaces, cgroups, and capability sets. Memory, CPU, and network are clearly separated — one container can’t interfere with another or compromise the host system. Access to hardware interfaces like CAN bus or GPS is granted explicitly per container, never wholesale. That makes it safe to run applications from different vendors on the same router, with no vendor able to see into the others’ containers. Edge computing supports best-of-breed strategies without complex trust agreements between suppliers. For compliance requirements from ISO 27001, NIS-2, and the Cyber Resilience Act, the platform provides the structural prerequisites: unique version addressing, audit logs, and controlled interface access.

Auf Fahrzeugroutern lassen sich alle Bord-Anwendungen betreiben, die im Fahrzeug Daten verarbeiten oder Schnittstellen ansprechen. Typische Anwendungsfälle sind Fahrgastinformationssysteme, automatische Fahrgastzählung, Videoüberwachung mit KI-Analyse, Telemetrie- und Diagnoseanwendungen, Predictive Maintenance, lokale Datenvorverarbeitung von Sensorik und Bus-Daten, sowie VPN-Gateways und Sicherheitsfunktionen wie Intrusion Detection. Auch Drittanbieter-WLAN, Inventarisierung und Fahrzeugsteuerung über ITxPT lassen sich containerisieren.

Edge computing on vehicle routers offers transit operators four concrete benefits. First, consolidating multiple applications onto one platform sharply reduces hardware effort per vehicle by eliminating dedicated control devices. Second, central cloud orchestration dramatically speeds up software updates — no workshop visits required. Third, longer hardware lifecycles combined with decoupled software lifecycles lower total cost of ownership across typical transit contract terms of ten to fifteen years. Fourth, edge computing structurally supports compliance requirements like the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS-2, and ISO 27001 through unique version proofs, controlled access, and central security updates.

Edge computing means processing data where it’s generated instead of sending it to a central data center. In bus and rail operations, the processing happens directly on the vehicle router that’s already installed in every vehicle. With a container runtime like the Unwired Edge Compute Platform, applications such as passenger information systems, automatic passenger counting, video surveillance, or diagnostics run as containers right on that router. They’re isolated from each other and managed centrally from the cloud. For transit operators, that delivers three key benefits: less in-vehicle hardware, faster software updates, and simpler compliance evidence across the full contract term.

The vehicle router runs applications as OCI containers, isolated from the host system and orchestrated centrally from the cloud. For more demanding virtualization, the Unwired Edge Cloud also supports Kubernetes containers. A growing partner ecosystem provides automatic passenger counting and passenger information systems, and your customers’ own applications can be packaged too. For you as a manufacturer, that means fewer dedicated computers in the vehicle: functions that used to need their own hardware run as software on existing devices, and new functions can be added later without modifying the vehicle.

Yes. The platform covers the typical connectivity use cases in rail vehicles and buses: passenger Wi-Fi with a captive portal, reliable vehicle-to-ground communication via WAN bonding, and applications such as passenger counting or passenger information running as containers. Hardware is chosen per vehicle type and tender; the platform, device management, and rollout process stay identical. Manufacturers that equip both trains and buses work with one unified system across all product lines.

The Unwired Edge Cloud is built for self-service operation. After handover, the operator manages portals, network configurations, and updates independently: they maintain the captive portal in their own branding through a graphical CMS, push updates OTA across the fleet, and track the health of devices, uplinks, and applications through observability. You hand over a system the operator can run without specialist knowledge — and stay clear of recurring operational tasks. When needed, Unwired support assists the operator directly.

Unwired Edge Cloud OS provides software and security updates for over ten years — well beyond typical warranty and maintenance periods. The software is continuously adapted to new security standards, including the requirements of the EU Cyber Resilience Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/2847). When a device reaches end-of-life, you replace it with a compatible alternative from any vendor — no platform switch, no configuration rebuild. For you as a manufacturer, that means the network equipment in your vehicles stays current, secure, and maintainable throughout its service life.

Delivery includes the technical documentation that tenders and acceptance processes typically require: MTBF figures for the devices, specification sheets, QA test reports, and a technical implementation plan for your project. Your project teams pass these documents straight into bidding and acceptance processes instead of compiling them from multiple sources. Technical pre-sales consulting also supports the system design, so your proposal meets the requirements specification. Scope details per project are agreed with our team.

Yes. The platform securely separates operational IoB applications such as telemetry or passenger counting from comfort services like passenger Wi-Fi, using VLANs and software-defined networking on the same physical network. You don’t need to install two separate networks, which saves cabling, devices, and space in the vehicle and simplifies the design. The separation is configured centrally and identical across every vehicle in a series, which also makes operator acceptance easier.

Without visibility into a device in the field, a fault report often means removing, shipping, and replacing hardware — even when it’s working fine. Unwired Edge Cloud observability delivers telemetry, metrics, and logs from every device, in real time and historically. Your service team identifies remotely whether a fault lies in hardware, configuration, or an application, and fixes software and configuration issues via OTA update, without the vehicle going to the workshop. Unnecessary returns, replacement devices, and on-site visits disappear, and the RMA rate over the warranty period drops.

Configurations are stored centrally in the platform as pre-configured profiles per vehicle type. In production, the device is simply installed and cabled; as soon as it comes online, it picks up its configuration automatically via Zero Touch Configuration. Manual per-vehicle setup is gone, and so is the technician visit for network commissioning. You verify the first vehicles of a series through self-service QA and the platform’s observability, then the rollout runs in series. Network equipment keeps pace with production and doesn’t put delivery dates at risk.

In public transport tenders, network requirements are often rigidly specified, from mandated interfaces to standards such as EN 50155. If the network software is tied to a single device vendor, the choice of suitable hardware narrows sharply and bids can become impossible. The Unwired Edge Cloud is vendor-agnostic: Unwired Edge Cloud OS runs on devices from multiple vendors, including Netmodule/Belden, Teltonika, and Televic. For each tender, you choose the devices that best fit the spec and your costing — and device management stays the same across all projects.

Unwired Networks is certified to ISO 27001 and ISO 9001. All data is held exclusively in EU data centers. Data paths are audit-ready, which simplifies evidence for public transport authorities, internal compliance teams, and external auditors. The platform is built for NIS-2 and GDPR-compliant operation. Authentication, data storage, and API access follow zero-trust principles. Even in regulated procurement contexts, observability runs without separate compliance audits — the certificates serve as proof.

Yes. The Edge router continuously discovers all reachable devices on the local network and monitors their availability via ICMP ping with round-trip time and packet loss tracking. Switches, cameras, ticket machines, printers, or screens end up in the inventory without needing any agent installed on the device. The data is exported as Prometheus metrics and is part of the full observability view. That extends device management coverage across third-party hardware too — without fragmented monitoring islands.

All observability data is delivered through open standards: Prometheus and OpenMetrics for time series, socket.io for real-time events. That makes Grafana, Datadog, Nagios, Zabbix, Google Cloud Monitoring, and Azure Monitor directly compatible — no vendor adapters needed. In-house ITSM and BI stacks read the data the same way. A built-in Prometheus console in Unwired Edge Cloud gives you a starting point out of the box. On request, we build dashboards and alerting rules with your team, based on patterns from real-world transit operators.

Tenders and transit contracts increasingly include KPIs for passenger Wi-Fi availability, captive portal reachability, or per-device uptime. The Metrics API in Unwired Edge Cloud exposes the underlying time series via OpenMetrics, providing a reproducible data foundation. SLA reports get generated automatically instead of from manual spot checks. Public transport authorities, oversight bodies, and internal reviews receive verifiable availability and performance figures, with full historical transparency across past reporting periods.

Throttling typically shows up as a sudden throughput drop to a fixed value — 64 kbit/s, for example — at recurring points in the billing cycle. The Metrics API continuously records bandwidth, packet loss, and latency per modem and SIM. In WAN bonding setups with multiple modems, it becomes visible which SIM was throttled and which continues to deliver full speed. In Grafana or any other visualization tool, these patterns stand out directly in the throughput history. Complaints to the carrier can be backed up with specific time windows and figures.

Per modem, Unwired Edge Cloud reports the active SIM slot, IMSI, ICCID, signal quality (RSSI, RSRQ, RSRP, SINR), and SIM-switching history. Failing SIMs become identifiable through repeated switches or unexplained signal drops. Incorrect roaming near borders shows up via per-SIM carrier registration. Inefficient switching between two SIMs in the same modem is also diagnosable. Operators can define alerts for these patterns in their existing monitoring tool via the Metrics API — no additional console required.

Device management drives configuration, provisioning, and software updates for the devices in a fleet. Observability provides continuous visibility into operational state: metrics, telemetry, history, and health data. The two are complementary. In Unwired Edge Cloud, they share the same data foundation — a device deployed via zero-touch provisioning starts sending observability data from first boot, with no extra configuration. Combining both means running configuration and monitoring of the fleet from one platform, not from parallel tool stacks.

Observability means end-to-end visibility into every network and application layer of a vehicle fleet. Modems, routers, containers, and applications stream continuous metrics, telemetry, and events. Unlike simple online/offline monitoring, you can see not just that an incident happened, but where and why. Data is exposed through open standards like Prometheus, OpenMetrics, and socket.io, and integrates into any existing monitoring or ITSM tool. For transit operators, that means faster diagnostics, provable SLA reporting, and fact-based carrier management.

No. Unwired Edge Cloud is hardware-independent by design. Device management supports devices from multiple vendors in a single interface. You decide per tender or vehicle type which hardware is most cost-effective — no need to build a parallel software platform. A later change of hardware vendor is possible without rebuilding the Captive Portal or observability. That reduces lock-in and strengthens your negotiating position with vendors.

For stable connections on intercity routes, we generally recommend WAN bonding. It uses multiple cellular uplinks at once and intelligently distributes data packets across all available connections. That sharply increases bandwidth and availability, especially in areas with shifting network coverage. Many common bus routers already support WAN bonding in hardware. As a bus operator, you add the feature optionally — we run and maintain the bonding server. On top of that, the on-board part of the Captive Portal stays available during short outages, so passengers can still pull up schedules and service notices.

Yes. Unwired Networks acts as the Internet Service Provider and takes responsibility for the connection, including content filtering and legally required logging. The Captive Portal meets the requirements of GDPR, the German and Austrian Telecommunications Act (TKG), the Digital Services Act, and relevant NIS-2 provisions. Consent dialogs, privacy notices, and retention periods are pre-configured. As a bus operator, you don’t need to run a separate legal review for every change as long as you use the standard building blocks provided.

Yes. The Captive Portal runs in your corporate design. You adjust logo, color scheme, typography, and welcome text yourself in a graphical editor. Pre-built widgets cover the typical use cases: login, terms-of-service confirmation, schedule notices, contact forms, multi-language support. Changes are maintained centrally and rolled out fleet-wide — no single vehicle needs to be touched. The Captive Portal becomes a brand channel, not just a technical login page.

Commissioning per vehicle typically takes only a few minutes. The device is installed, powered on, and registers with the platform automatically. Captive Portal, configuration, and SIM settings are pulled from the cloud via zero-touch rollout. No command line, no configuration files to maintain, no on-site service partner needed. A fleet of 100 buses can often go live within a few days, limited only by your internal installation schedule.

Standard ongoing operation currently costs 9.90 EUR per bus per month. That includes platform access, Captive Portal, device management, software updates, and ISP liability through Unwired Networks. A one-time setup fee of 750 EUR covers your tenant setup and Captive Portal provisioning. SIM cards and mobile contracts are arranged by the bus operator. Hardware can be procured separately through us if needed, in different device categories depending on requirements. For special requirements or larger fleets, a tailored quote is available on request.

Modern vehicle routers can now do far more than provide connectivity. With container virtualization, additional applications run directly on the router — no separate hardware required. Unwired supports open standards like OCI and Kubernetes, so applications can be deployed flexibly, managed centrally, and updated via OTA. The vehicle router becomes an edge computing platform where new services roll out quickly and existing systems can be extended efficiently.

The observability features in Unwired Edge Cloud allow continuous monitoring of network devices, uplinks, containers, and applications. Operators get telemetry, metrics, and health checks on bandwidth, signal quality, connection status, rollout status, and other operational data — in real time and historically analyzable. That supports not only troubleshooting but also defensible documentation of risks, anomalies, and operational states.

Especially in the context of CRA and NIS2, this transparency becomes more important: operators need to detect, assess, and translate security and operational events into reliable processes faster. Open standards like Prometheus/OpenMetrics and APIs allow the data to flow into existing monitoring, alerting, and reporting systems. The result is a solid foundation for service quality, faster incident containment, and stronger regulatory evidence.

Running passenger Wi-Fi depends on three things: data protection, information security, and clearly separated networks. Unwired supports the separation of the public passenger network from internal vehicle or operational networks, so safety-critical systems stay cleanly isolated. Encrypted connections, central policies, and controlled access concepts help meet regulatory requirements reliably. ISO 9001 and ISO 27001-certified processes provide the structural foundation for quality management and information security.

The Captive Portal adapts to your corporate design and operator requirements — no custom software development needed. Logos, colors, content, languages, and widgets are maintained and updated centrally. That makes the portal more than just a Wi-Fi login: it becomes a digital communication channel for passenger information, service notices, or campaigns. Changes are managed centrally and rolled out fleet-wide without complex rollout processes.

Provisioning and operation happen centrally through Unwired Edge Cloud. New devices commission themselves via Zero Touch Configuration — no manual configuration on site. Settings, policies, and new features roll out fleet-wide and stay current via OTA updates. That sharply reduces effort for rollout, operation, and maintenance, and keeps setups consistent across different vehicles and hardware platforms.

Passenger Wi-Fi on the train stays stable when it doesn’t rely on a single uplink. Unwired combines multiple connections — 5G, LTE, satellite — through WAN bonding into a resilient aggregate uplink. If one connection drops or quality degrades, traffic automatically continues over the other available connections. That sharply improves Wi-Fi availability even on demanding routes with shifting coverage.

REST APIs for configuration and inventory, OpenMetrics for telemetry, webhooks for events. That covers integration with standard ITSM, monitoring, and BI tools without specialized connectors. You can build your own automations the same way — ticketing systems, asset management, or reporting workflows. Unwired Edge Cloud is designed as a data source for your existing IT ecosystem, not as an isolated console.

Metrics on modems, uplinks, sessions, devices, and containers are delivered in OpenMetrics format and available in real time and historically. The data integrates into existing monitoring and BI tools like Grafana. Historical data enables service-level reports and proactive maintenance instead of just reactive problem-solving. Observability covers cellular signal quality per modem, uplink availability, bonding performance, session establishment, and configuration drift. Learn more about our observability solution.

Yes — this is the default operating mode. Unwired Edge Cloud enforces network segmentation in software: VLANs separate traffic types, while firewalls and routing policies govern access rights. Passenger Wi-Fi and operational systems run on the same device but in separate security domains. Updates to the segmentation logic are distributed centrally; no local intervention is needed because the central configuration is the single source of truth.

Zero-touch provisioning means: after the physical install, the device handles the rest. Bootstrap, authentication against Unwired Edge Cloud, configuration pull, application deployment, and registration with device management all happen with no manual step. The only prerequisite is uplink availability at the site — everything else is handled by the platform. Inconsistencies from manual initial setup disappear, and staffing requirements at the depot drop accordingly.

Supported uplinks include 4G/LTE and 5G across multiple mobile carriers in parallel, satellite, and fixed-line connections such as DSL, cable, and fiber. Multiple uplinks can run simultaneously per router and be aggregated through WAN bonding. The SD-WAN platform actively monitors modems, detects deadlocks that other router operating systems often miss, and resets stuck sessions via AT command or controlled modem reset.

WAN bonding is the technique that aggregates bandwidth from multiple uplinks into a single logical connection. SD-WAN is the broader discipline: it centrally controls which uplinks a vehicle router uses, which traffic types get which bandwidth, how configurations are rolled out, and how the network is segmented against operational data. WAN bonding runs as one capability within SD-WAN. Details on our WAN bonding offering are available on our WAN bonding page.

SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN) separates the network’s control plane from the data plane. You define routing rules, uplink priorities, and security policies centrally, and Unwired Edge Cloud translates that into concrete configuration on every vehicle router. For transit operators, that means: multiple cellular carriers, Starlink, and fixed-line connections in parallel per vehicle, configuration changes rolled out fleet-wide, and passenger Wi-Fi safely separated from operational applications. Instead of configuring each router individually, you work at the fleet level.

Unwired provides software and security updates for over ten years, so devices stay current and protected throughout their service life and need replacing less often. Unwired is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, GDPR and NIS2 compliant, and prepared for the Cyber Resilience Act. The platform pushes updates OTA across the fleet; because vehicles are often offline, configurations are synced as soon as a device reconnects. You meet your customers’ growing security and compliance requirements without retrofitting additional hardware.

The Unwired Edge Cloud follows an API-first approach with standard APIs. Use them to automate provisioning, configuration, and reporting, and to connect the platform to your existing operations and monitoring systems. With Unwired Edge Compute, you also run your own applications as containers directly on the vehicle routers — OCI and Kubernetes compatible, isolated from the host system. Containers are orchestrated centrally from the cloud across the entire fleet, so new services arrive as software without rebuilding the firmware. The platform slots into heterogeneous environments instead of replacing them.

Through Unwired Edge Cloud observability. It captures telemetry, metrics, logs, and health checks from devices, uplinks, and applications, in real time and historically. The data comes in OpenMetrics format and plugs into common monitoring, BI, and ITSM tools. You monitor health per tenant and device group and often spot faults before the end customer reports them. From the historical data, you also build service-level reports per customer — without running an extra system for it.

You set up passenger Wi-Fi with a customizable captive portal in minutes and maintain the content through a graphical CMS, no coding required. Login widgets, passenger information, and design can be tailored per end customer and distributed centrally. Passenger Wi-Fi runs either as a container directly on the vehicle device or from the cloud, depending on device and use case. Because the captive portal is configured separately per tenant, you run different portals for multiple customers on the same platform.

You commission new devices via Zero Touch Configuration, without setting up each device on site. Store pre-configured profiles or an individual configuration per device by MAC address, and the device pulls it automatically as soon as it comes online. That’s how hundreds of devices roll out at once. The API-first approach also automates provisioning and configuration and connects them to your existing systems. No technician visit to the vehicle is needed for commissioning alone.

Unwired Edge Cloud is designed for large estates and manages thousands of devices across many tenants. You group devices by customer, site, or project and roll out configurations per group. New devices pick up their configuration automatically via Zero Touch Configuration as soon as they come online. Administrative effort doesn’t grow linearly with device count — central groups and automation keep it manageable. For integrators with a growing customer base, that’s the decisive difference from isolated per-project setups.

None in particular. Unwired Edge Cloud OS is an OpenWRT-based Linux distribution and runs on devices from different vendors — including Netmodule/Belden, Teltonika, Televic, and Advantech — on ARM, x86, MIPS, and PPC architectures. You choose the right hardware per project and tender and can mix vendors within one fleet. That avoids vendor lock-in: for repeat procurement, you pick whichever hardware is most available or most economical. Device management handles all devices centrally on one platform, regardless of vendor.

Multi-tenant means you manage multiple end customers on a single platform while their data and access stay separate. Each customer gets their own tenant with its own permissions, and you as the integrator keep the central view across all tenants. You create customers, sites, and device groups without running a separate installation per project. Device management stays uniform no matter how many customers you add. Your customer base grows without the number of systems you maintain growing at the same rate.

On first power-on, the vehicle router authenticates to the cloud platform with a certificate and pulls its configuration. In rail operations that means: the depot installs the device, connects the antennas, done. Configuration and application state are pulled as soon as the cellular or wired uplink comes up. When hardware is swapped during regular service, the replacement device commissions itself the same way — no IT staff on site required.

Availability records come from continuously captured telemetry data: uplink reachability, Wi-Fi sessions per vehicle, device heartbeat, and configuration consistency. From this data, monthly or quarterly availability reports can be generated for the public transport authority. Granularity goes down to individual vehicles and route segments — useful for locating coverage gaps and weakly connected stretches.

At least ten years of software support for supported hardware platforms, including security patches and functional updates. Cloud components are continuously maintained and developed; APIs are designed for version stability with documented deprecation paths, so connected systems (BI, monitoring, reporting pipelines) keep working across version changes. Investment protection is part of the contract, not a roadmap promise.

Unwired Edge Cloud is built on zero-trust principles with documented STRIDE threat modeling. Unwired Networks is certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001. Configuration templates, version history, and granular access rights address the requirements of CLC/TS 50701 (Railway Cybersecurity, based on IEC 62443-3-2 and -3-3). For NIS2, the operational building blocks — risk management, incident reporting, update processes — map directly to the platform: configuration and update history, access logs, and inventory data are all available centrally. For the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA, main obligations from December 2027), long-term software support, vulnerability handling across the product lifecycle, signed automatic security updates, and a controlled software supply chain cover the core control axes.

Unwired Edge Cloud runs on vehicle routers and access points from multiple hardware partners. Their devices meet EN 50155 (vibration resistance, voltage tolerance, electronic equipment on rail vehicles), EN 50121 (electromagnetic compatibility in railway environments), and EN 45545-2 (fire protection on rail vehicles). Certification documents are held by the respective hardware vendor. You specify the functional requirements from the tender; the cloud platform stays hardware-agnostic. Hardware is chosen from the pool of certified partner devices.

Unwired Edge Cloud covers core tender items: passenger Wi-Fi with Captive Portal, login flows, and content; vehicle-to-ground communication across multiple carriers and Starlink; availability reports via observability; device management with audit functions; hardware compliant with EN 50155, EN 50121, and EN 45545. Unwired Networks operates as the Internet Service Provider and assumes the corresponding obligations under TKG and GDPR. ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications are in place. NIS2 and CLC/TS 50701 requirements are addressed at the platform level. During tender submission, specifying the functional requirements is enough — fulfillment runs through the platform and the partner ecosystem.

All traffic through Unwired Edge Cloud’s WAN bonding runs inside an end-to-end encrypted tunnel between the bonding client on the Edge device and the bonding server. Authentication is PKI-based, with certificates rotated automatically. Key material is managed centrally, never distributed by hand. Servers run in Tier 1 data centers with a clear data-protection framework across the EU and US. Unwired Networks is certified to ISO 27001 and ISO 9001, which directly meets requirements from NIS2 implementations and many public transport tenders. WAN bonding is therefore suitable for operationally critical data — telemetry, CCTV, or vehicle-to-ground communication.

WAN bonding rollout runs centrally through device management in Unwired Edge Cloud. Configure a bonding profile once, then apply it to vehicle groups. On first boot, each device pulls its configuration and bonding endpoint automatically from the cloud. No on-site visits, no manual tunnel setup, no certificate rollouts required.

Yes. Starlink integrates fully with WAN bonding in Unwired Edge Cloud and runs in parallel with 4G/5G modems. On routes with patchy cellular coverage, Starlink fills the gaps; in well-covered regions, 4G and 5G add bandwidth at low latency. The bonding engine picks the best-suited link for each packet. Passenger Wi-Fi, passenger information systems, and CCTV streams stay continuously connected as a result. For rail operations, certified hardware partners meeting EN50155, EN50121, and EN45545 are available. Starlink hardware and the service plan are procured by the operator.

Packet-oriented WAN bonding is explicitly designed for heterogeneous uplinks. For example, you can combine two 5G modems from different mobile carriers with a Starlink terminal, and add DSL or fiber at fixed locations. The bonding engine in Unwired Edge Cloud measures latency, bandwidth, and packet loss per link and distributes packets accordingly. This matters especially on routes with patchy cellular coverage and for industrial IoT applications with strict availability requirements. Plans, contracts, and SIM cards are arranged by the operator.

No. You don’t need your own server hardware for WAN bonding with Unwired Edge Cloud. The bonding server runs as a managed service in Tier 1 data centers across the EU and US. Authentication is PKI-based with automatic certificate rotation; scaling happens on demand. Classic on-premise bonding setups require servers, load balancing, and a maintenance team. The managed service replaces those components and is billed per Edge device. You pay for actual capacity used instead of rack infrastructure.

Packet-oriented WAN bonding is the most advanced form of uplink aggregation. Multiple connections like 4G, 5G, Starlink, or DSL run in parallel and are combined at the packet level. Classic failover only switches when a link fails completely — and often disrupts active sessions in the process. Load balancing splits traffic flows by session and can’t speed up individual sessions. Packet-oriented WAN bonding, in contrast, sends each packet over the currently best link and sums the bandwidth across all of them. Sessions stay stable even when links change. Unwired Edge Cloud implements this with the Bondix stack on Edge devices and a managed bonding server.