China Tower and Huawei have introduced TunnelStar, a tunnel waveguide product for mobile coverage. They launched the system on August 4 at China Tower Industrial Park.
The companies designed TunnelStar for high-value tunnel environments. These include subway systems, railway tunnels, and other enclosed transport routes. Such locations often suffer from weak mobile signals and complex upgrade conditions.
China’s tunnel network continues to expand at a rapid pace. National subway mileage now exceeds 10,000 kilometers. Operational railway tunnels have also passed 25,000 kilometers. This growth has increased pressure on operators to deliver reliable underground connectivity.
However, tunnels present difficult engineering conditions. Installation space remains limited. Construction teams often face tight access windows. Upgrade projects also require coordination with railway and metro operators.
At the same time, mobile usage has changed sharply. Video calls, livestreaming, and AI applications need stronger uplink performance. Uplink refers to data sent from the user device to the network. This matters for live video, cloud apps, and emergency communications.
The move toward 5G-A adds another layer of complexity. Networks use wider spectrum and higher frequency bands. These signals can struggle in tunnel environments without careful design.
TunnelStar aims to address these limits through a new waveguide approach. It uses a specially designed excitation source. In simple terms, this helps shape how radio signals move through tunnels. The goal is more even coverage across difficult underground spaces.
According to the companies, TunnelStar improves edge coverage by more than 10dB. Edge coverage means signal quality at the weakest points. They also claim user experience speeds improve by over 40%.
The product also targets uplink-heavy services. It supports 9dB gain amplification for uplink links. Huawei and China Tower say this can raise uplink speeds by 20%.
These figures could interest operators with congested transport networks. Better uplink performance can improve passenger experience during peak travel. It may also support operational services, security systems, and connected rail applications.
Still, real-world deployment will decide the product’s wider impact. Tunnel environments vary greatly by length, shape, materials, and traffic rules. Operators will need field data before large-scale investment.
Cost and installation claims may also face local constraints. Tunnel work often involves night shifts and strict safety procedures. Even compact equipment can require careful planning and approvals.
The system has completed pilot tests in Wuhan and Guangzhou. These trials covered 3.5G and 4.9G frequency bands. The companies reported stronger coverage and better deployment efficiency.
TunnelStar also supports future evolution toward 6G. That could help infrastructure owners avoid repeated rebuilds. Such flexibility matters as operators explore new bands and services.
For China Tower, the launch strengthens its shared infrastructure role. For Huawei, it extends its transport network coverage portfolio. For operators, TunnelStar offers a possible route to better underground service quality. Its success will depend on deployment scale, cost control, and long-term performance.
