--- title: "Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL" published: "2025-05-09" --- # Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial Buyer: PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3.json) ## Summary Plymouth City Council has completed the contract award stage for the "Peninsula Transport Rail Mobile Connectivity Trial." This procurement, focusing on the services industry category, aims to enhance public transport Wi-Fi connectivity across the United Kingdom. The project involves implementing on-train Wi-Fi through a unique 60-day proof-of-concept trial. The contracting authority opted for a direct award due to intellectual property rights held by McClaren Applied, ensuring the deployment of a pioneering 5G Edge Active Antenna system. The contract is set to commence on 21 May 2025 and conclude on 31 October 2025. This tender presents significant growth opportunities, particularly for large businesses specialised in information technology services. Companies capable of delivering innovative connectivity solutions, especially those with experience in transportation and telecommunications sectors, are well-suited to participate in similar procurements. The focus on advanced 5G technologies opens avenues for businesses to showcase their cutting-edge solutions, leveraging the increasing demand for seamless connectivity in public transportation systems. The project not only promises improvements in passenger experience but also sets a precedent for future technology-driven public infrastructure upgrades. ## Notice As public Wi-Fi availability increases, passengers expect to remain connected to their work or social networks, regardless of their location. The opportunity to increase productivity while travelling is making public transport usage more attractive, and it has reached the point where Wi-Fi is now considered an essential offering for transport operators. The solution proposal is to introduce on train Wi-Fi in a 60-day proof-of-concept trial. ### Procurement Information Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights This allows for a direct award to a supplier with exclusive rights, i.e., Intellectual Property Rights, which means that only that supplier can deliver the goods or services. Unique 5G Edge Active Antenna system is a pioneering solution in a 'blue ocean' market, with no direct competitors offering 5G edge antennas (routers located on the roof, rather than inside the train). This innovative approach enhances performance by up to 10 times on the uplink / 4x on the downlink compared with passive systems, while being less intrusive, more cost effective, and simpler to implement. Most importantly, it delivers a 'Wi-Fi-at-home' experience for passengers on trains. Applied 5G Edge Active Antenna solution eliminates the need for on-train routers, RF cables, RF splitters, and patch panels. Additionally, Patented link aggregation software inside the antennas is unique in the industry. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020224-2025 | | Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Direct | | Procurement method details | Direct award | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Large | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 9 May 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 8 May 2025 | | Contract period | 20 May 2025 - 31 Oct 2025 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | £213,000 | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Complete | | Awards status | Pending | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL | | Locality | PLYMOUTH | | Post town | Plymouth | | Postcode | PL1 3BJ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK4 Devon | | ITL 3 | TLK41 Plymouth | | Local authority | Plymouth | | Electoral ward | St Peter and the Waterfront | | Westminster constituency | Plymouth Sutton and Devonport | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | MCCLAREN APPLIED | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 72222300 - Information technology services ## Release History - 9 May 2025 at 16:03 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020224-2025 - 9 May 2025 at 14:01 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020125-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020224-2025 9th May 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020125-2025 9th May 2025 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.mclarenapplied.com - http://www.plymouth.gov.uk - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050fe3.json.