Sydney Metro West is deploying a private 5G network for mission-critical rail operations when the line opens in 2032. BAI Communications won the contract in December to build communications infrastructure for the 24km driverless metro connecting Parramatta to Sydney CBD.
The deployment represents Australia's first 5G MCX (Mission Critical Communications) radio system, which BAI says will support the global FRMCS standard eventually replacing GSM-R networks worldwide. The private network will carry three workloads: train control and communications, rail signaling systems, and NSW emergency services coverage across tunnels and nine stations.
BAI will also provide standard 4G/5G passenger connectivity for Telstra, Optus, and TPG customers throughout the corridor. The dual-network approach mirrors Sydney Metro's Western Sydney Airport line, where Nokia and Siemens are providing IP/MPLS backbone and cybersecurity under a separate December 2022 contract.
Private 5G is becoming standard for Australian transit safety systems. The technology offers dedicated spectrum, deterministic latency for autonomous train control, and network slicing to isolate safety-critical traffic from passenger data. Melbourne's F1 Grand Prix deployed private 5G for paddock operations and ticketing in March 2025.
The Sydney Metro West project builds on learnings from NSW's Western Sydney 5G Trial, part of the City Deal program that tested how developers, mobile operators, and councils can collaborate on pre-built 5G infrastructure. Those findings informed Australia's national TIND (Telecommunications Infrastructure in New Developments) policy.
BAI's chief commercial officer Elyssa Rollinson said the system "will not only provide passengers with seamless mobile connectivity but will also underpin the advanced signaling and control systems that ensure safe, reliable metro operations."
The line will operate 16 driverless trains across stations at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont, and Hunter Street. Construction of communications infrastructure begins this year.
Notably absent from the announcement: deployment costs, spectrum allocation details, or specific latency requirements for safety systems. BAI has not disclosed whether the network uses licensed spectrum or shared bands.