We were thrilled to exhibit at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last week, where we had many opportunities to engage with industry leaders tackling some of the toughest connectivity challenges in the world. In an era where seamless communication is essential, industries operating in extreme environments—such as Industry 4.0, telecom, mining, transportation, avionics, energy, and defense—struggle with unreliable networks due to remote locations, harsh conditions, and the limitations of traditional infrastructure.
Throughout the event, we spoke with businesses looking for ruggedized, core-to-edge solutions that can withstand extreme temperatures, vibrations, and unpredictable conditions while delivering high-performance connectivity. The demand for flexible, resilient networking solutions has never been greater, and we’re excited to share insights from these discussions—highlighting the biggest hurdles industries face and how our technology is helping ensure reliable, always-on communication across any network, no matter the environment.
Overcoming industry challenges with core-to-edge solutions
From high-performance core infrastructure to rugged edge computing, attendees were particularly impressed by how our flexible platforms enable connectivity where standard networking solutions often fall short.
Here are some of the key challenges that drove discussions—and how our customizable solutions can help overcome them.
Challenge 1: Extreme weather, remote conditions, tight spaces
We spoke to visitors in defense, oil and gas, avionics, maritime, and agriculture that operate in harsh climates where extreme heat, cold, humidity, and dust can severely impact networking equipment. One attendee in particular, shared his challenges with deploying 5G networks in airports, while a healthcare professional came by looking for high-performance platforms that deliver powerful computing while fitting into compact spaces.
The truth of the matter is, standard hardware is just not designed to withstand these elements, leading to frequent failures and costly downtime.
Solution:
Ruggedized networking hardware, edge servers with integrated processing, timing and sync, and industrial-grade platforms designed to handle extreme conditions is the answer.
Kontron’s S1901 created quite some buzz with its wide temperature range, robust thermal management, and IP67 protection, delivering mission-critical processing power even on moving vehicles. Its weatherproof enclosure, and resistance to heat, moisture and dust, enables uninterrupted operation regardless of the environment.
We showcased the RS1310 mounted on a pole at our booth to highlight its rugged design as an outdoor edge server built for mission-critical applications in tough environments, sparking numerous questions from attendees.
Our new CG2500 server was also on display - a high-performance, compact solution designed for defense and medical environments and other space-constrained applications. Its dense computing power and efficient thermal management make it ideal for hospitals, labs enabling seamless integration into diagnostic imaging, and remote defense scenarios where reliable data processing and connectivity are critical.
Challenge 2: Vibrations and demanding situations
At the show, we saw significant interest from the transportation and railway sectors, with many visitors eager to learn about our radio head and ME1310 edge server solutions. Some of their key connectivity needs involve high-performance solutions across vast, complex networks. They need real-time data to monitor operations, but high-vibration environments can lead to damaged and man-functioning networking equipment.
Solution:
Our radio head along with ME1310 servers installed along train routes, enable seamless communication between trains, allowing for real-time data exchange that enhances safety, efficiency, and coordination. There were many discussions about the need for low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity in these environments.
Our solutions support advanced train control systems, predictive maintenance, and real-time monitoring, helping to facilitate seamless operations and optimized performance across the entire railway network. Attendees were delighted to hear about our real-world use case - how our solution is currently running a secure and reliable private 5G network for Grand Paris Express L18 in collaboration with Amarisoft vRAN and AW2S RUs.
Challenge 3: Isolated locations and lack of advanced connectivity
A number of visitors from mining sites, offshore drilling platforms, and the military explained how their operations often take place in remote areas with little to no existing network infrastructure. Traditional connectivity solutions struggle to provide stable, high-bandwidth connections in these regions.
Moreover, professionals from the automotive sector visited us, seeking Kontron’s expertise in providing secure, high-performance computing solutions to support the advanced connectivity required for next-gen autonomous vehicles.
Solution:
Deploying private 5G or LTE networks in these remote areas is necessary for secure, high-performance connectivity. We explained how we have our own 5G core for private 5G networks, providing a reliable, secure connection where every second counts. Combined with satellite and edge computing technologies, organizations can use our solutions to bring data processing closer to where it’s generated, reducing latency and improving operational efficiency.
It's safe to say our 5G automotive grade connectivity modules were a hit at the event. In our meetings with several global automotive Tier 1, as well as automotive manufacturers (OEMs), our experts discussed that with 5G adoption increasingly accelerating, these modules are essential for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.
Challenge 4: The need for greater control and enhanced security for their IoT devices
Managing a growing network of IoT devices requires robust security and centralized control to prevent vulnerabilities and ensure seamless operation. Conversations around having the ability to remotely monitor, update, and secure devices in real time, reducing the risk of cyber threats while maintaining optimal performance across the entire network were highlighted.
Solution:
Our IoT Device Management software team explained how our centralized platform for managing, monitoring, and securing IoT devices across various environments allows businesses to remotely configure, update, and troubleshoot, guaranteeing optimal performance and security throughout the device lifecycle. There was interest in how the software helps streamline the deployment and maintenance of IoT solutions, enabling scalability and efficient management of connected devices across different industries.
Building a resilient future with core-to-edge solutions
MWC 2025 was a resounding success for us, offering valuable opportunities to connect and re-connect with industry leaders and showcase how our core-to-edge solutions are helping build a more resilient future. The insightful discussions we had highlighted the critical need for seamless, reliable connectivity in demanding environments, from transportation and avionics to industry 4.0 and beyond.
From rugged edge servers, modules, 5G core technology to high-performance connectivity and flexible software, our solutions are designed to tackle these challenges head-on by delivering unmatched performance across 5G, Wi-Fi, satellite, public, and private networks. We’re excited to continue these conversations and explore how our technology can drive innovation in your business. If you’d like to continue the discussion or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us—let’s build a resilient future together.
Email us directly, at info.americas@kontron.com
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