Association of American Railroads Selects dot16 for Next-Generation Train Communications

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has taken a pivotal step toward modernizing freight rail operations by selecting the IEEE 802.16t ("dot16") protocol, pioneered by Ondas Networks, as the new communications standard for the Next-Generation Head-of-Train and End-of-Train (NGHE) program. This decision marks a significant advancement for the North American rail industry, addressing longstanding challenges in maintaining reliable, secure, and efficient wireless communications across increasingly longer and more complex train operations. 

For decades, railroads have relied on legacy HOT-EOT systems operating on 450 MHz channels to ensure safe and coordinated train movements. While these systems have served the industry well, the growing trend towards operating longer trains has introduced new challenges. Longer trains mean greater distances between the locomotive (head) and the end of the train, amplifying signal degradation, increasing latency, and heightening the risk of communication failures of critical telemetry data like brake pressure and train integrity. Additionally, the industry’s evolving operational and safety requirements — including Positive Train Location (PTL), moving block operations, and real-time asset management — demand higher bandwidth, stronger security, and lower latency than the legacy system can provide. 

Recognizing these pressures, Ondas Networks worked closely with AAR, leading the development of the open, standards-based IEEE 802.16t protocol to provide a future-proof solution tailored to the unique needs of rail operations. The new protocol introduces powerful capabilities through Direct Peer-to-Peer (DPP) communications, offering highly resilient links even in difficult radio environments typical of long freight trains. Dot16 dramatically improves reliability through advanced time diversity, reduces latency for real-time telemetry, enhances security to meet modern cyber standards, and delivers significantly higher data capacity — all while operating efficiently within existing 450 MHz spectrum allocations. 

The benefits to railroads are substantial. By enabling safer and more efficient operation of longer trains, dot16 supports broader industry goals of increasing productivity while reducing operational costs. The technology eliminates the need for costly wayside repeaters and supports vital applications like Positive Train Location, automated train integrity checks, and future moving block systems, all of which are critical to unlocking the next generation of rail safety and operational efficiency. Furthermore, the ability to aggregate non-contiguous narrowband channels and prioritize mission-critical data traffic gives railroads unprecedented flexibility in managing wireless resources across increasingly complex networks. 

The scale of impact is significant. Ondas Networks estimates that approximately 70,000 systems — including 25,000+ locomotives and 45,000 EOT devices — will need to be upgraded across the North American freight rail infrastructure to meet NGHE Gen4 requirements. With development programs being planned, revenue generation to support these upgrades is expected to begin by the end of 2025, with commercial deployments occurring as early as 2026. 

Ondas Networks’ leadership in shaping the IEEE 802.16t standard reflects its long-standing commitment to the rail industry and its deep understanding of the mission-critical nature of railroad communications. Through rigorous collaboration with railroads, standards committees, and technology partners, Ondas has helped engineer a solution that both preserves compatibility with existing operational practices and opens the door to transformative innovation across the rail ecosystem. 

As the freight rail industry prepares to modernize its communications infrastructure, the adoption of dot16 represents not just an upgrade, but a foundation for the future. Ondas Networks invites all stakeholders — railroads, technology partners, and systems vendors — to engage with us to learn more about how the new standard and Ondas' portfolio of 802.16t-compliant solutions can help usher in the next era of safe, efficient, and intelligent rail operations. 

For more information, please contact Ondas Networks at networks-inquiries@ondas.com