Callio FutureMINE in Pyhäjärvi, Finland, is a former copper mine that now operates as a full-scale test location for mining systems. The underground site contains several kilometres of tunnels across multiple levels and reaches a depth of around 1.5 kilometres. A private 5G network has been installed to support communication, automation, remote-controlled equipment, video applications and personnel safety systems. So, now let us see Private 5G Goes 1.5 km Underground Measuring Network Performance Inside a Mine along with RantCell’s LTE RF drive test tools in telecom & Cellular RF drive test equipment and RantCell’s Wireless Survey Software Tools & Wifi site survey software tools in detail.
Providing mobile connectivity inside a mine is very different from providing coverage in an office, factory or open outdoor area. Thick rock blocks and reflects radio signals. Long tunnels create narrow RF paths, while bends, shafts, metal structures and heavy machinery can change signal behaviour. Moving vehicles may also temporarily block the signal between the radio unit and the user device.
The radio design must therefore support coverage across working levels, tunnel junctions, loading points, maintenance areas and vehicle routes. It must also support network changes when mining equipment moves or when new sections are opened.
Private 5G gives the site a dedicated network with controlled capacity, low latency and support for mobile industrial equipment. At Callio, the main use cases include replacing unreliable radio communication, operating automated and tele-remote vehicles, monitoring workers and sending real-time alerts and location data.
These use cases require more than a strong signal indication on a phone.
Engineers must measure RF and service KPIs throughout the mine. RSRP shows the received 5G signal level. RSRQ and SINR help identify weak signal quality, noise and interference. Throughput testing confirms the available data capacity, while latency, jitter and packet-loss measurements show whether the connection can support time-sensitive mining applications.
Testing should be completed while walking and while travelling inside mine vehicles. Tests should also be repeated during different working periods because large machines may move between levels and change the RF conditions.
Mobility testing is another key part of underground network validation. A worker, vehicle or connected device may pass through several radio cells during one journey. The device must hand over between cells without losing the active connection.
A failed or delayed handover may cause a voice call to disconnect, a video stream to stop or a remote-control session to become unstable. Engineers should record serving-cell changes, neighbour-cell measurements, handover attempts and handover failures along the full vehicle route.
Uplink performance also needs close testing. Many mining applications send large volumes of data towards the control room. Vehicle cameras, inspection video, machine telemetry and safety sensors all depend on the uplink. A section of the mine may show acceptable downlink speed but still have limited uplink capacity.
Latency should be measured under both normal and loaded network conditions. Remote vehicle operation needs stable response time, not only a good average figure. Sudden latency increases or packet loss may affect equipment control and operator confidence.
Location testing can also support worker safety and fleet management. Current private 5G positioning methods can provide metre-level location accuracy in underground or indoor areas where GNSS is unavailable, depending on the radio design, device support and positioning method.
After network acceptance, regular monitoring should continue. Measurements from smartphones, fixed devices or vehicle-mounted test units can be uploaded to a central platform and compared by route, level and time. This helps engineers find new weak areas, repeated handover failures, poor uplink sections or rising latency before they affect mining operations.
The Callio project shows that underground private 5G testing must be linked directly to the mining application. Good coverage alone does not prove that the network is ready for worker communication, remote vehicles or safety systems. The test process must confirm RF coverage, signal quality, mobility, uplink capacity, latency and service continuity throughout the mine.
About RantCell
RantCell is an Android and iOS-based RF drive test and network monitoring solution used by mobile operators, system integrators, enterprises and private network providers worldwide. It measures signal strength, throughput, latency, voice quality and user experience across public and private LTE and 5G networks. Test data is automatically uploaded to the cloud, where engineers can analyse KPIs, generate reports and identify network issues faster. Also read similar articles from here.