How Laser-Treated Glass Improves Connectivity in Buildings and Trains

Anyone who has tried to make a call inside a modern building or checked messages on a train knows the feeling. The moment you step indoors or take a seat by the window, the signal weakens, pages load slowly, and calls start to break. It happens so often that it feels like a normal part of everyday life.

The root cause, however, is not the mobile network outside. It is the building or vehicle itself. Modern glazing is designed to manage heat and improve energy efficiency, and the metallic coatings that make this possible also reflect a large share of mobile signals. From an RF point of view, the glass acts as a barrier, turning strong outdoor coverage into disappointing indoor performance. The result is familiar across many places: homes, offices, hospitals, stations, and railway cars all struggle to let the signal in.

This is the connectivity gap that WAVETHRU was created to address. The idea behind the technology is applied in two different worlds. In architecture, it is used by WAVE by AGC to help buildings provide better indoor reception without changing their appearance or energy performance. In rail, Pulsaart applies the same principle under the name WAVETHRU Retrofit to improve mobile signal penetration through train windows without replacing them.

The environments differ, but the physics is the same. Coated glass interferes with radio wave propagation, and even a single pane can reduce signal strength enough to disrupt a stable connection. What feels like weak mobile coverage is often the result of the glass protecting the interior a little too effectively.

WAVETHRU for Buildings

In architecture, the conversation often starts with energy performance. Regulations are stricter, façades are more advanced, and almost every new project relies on coated glass. These coatings serve an essential purpose, so removing them is never an option. The result is that the building becomes an island. Once you step inside, your phone drops to one bar, your calls cut, and your applications struggle.

Some buildings try to compensate through indoor repeaters or distributed antenna systems. These solutions help, but they introduce hardware, maintenance, and costs that grow over time. WAVETHRU chooses a different path. The glass receives a precise treatment that allows mobile signals to pass more easily. The thermal and aesthetic properties stay untouched. What changes is the permeability to radio frequencies.

Since the treatment is passive, the building stays operator agnostic. Any operator can penetrate the façade, and any mobile generation can benefit from it. This matters because buildings tend to outlive several generations of network technology. A façade that already supports radio wave propagation reduces future coverage problems and avoids the need to add equipment later. In that sense, it offers something buildings rarely get, which is long term compatibility with evolving networks.

Inside, the effect is very simple. Calls, messages, and data sessions work without the usual friction. Tenants and guests do not notice the treatment, but they do notice the absence of frustration. Because the solution is passive, it does not consume energy or require upkeep. It is an approach that improves comfort while remaining sustainable in how it treats resources and avoids the need for electronic infrastructure.

WAVETHRU for Trains

On trains, the challenge is more severe. A train window is often the only path a mobile signal has. Trains rely on coated glass for temperature control and passenger comfort, but from an RF perspective, the coating acts as a reflective barrier. Combine this with metal structures, changing terrain, and speed, and you get one of the most challenging environments for mobile connectivity.

WAVETHRU Retrofit was created to solve this without replacing the glazing. The treatment is applied directly on existing windows with a precise laser process. The work happens on site, and operations continue with minimal disruption. The pattern created by the laser is extremely fine and practically invisible, so passengers can still enjoy clear views while the window becomes more transparent to mobile signals. The coating continues to perform where needed, meaning the window still provides the same thermal insulation, solar control, and comfort benefits it was designed for. What changes is only the microscopic area treated by the laser, which gives radio waves a point of entry without altering how the glass behaves for temperature, light, or energy performance.

Passengers notice the difference first. The usual pattern of dropping from four bars to one becomes less common. Streaming remains stable, navigation apps do not stall, and simple tasks like checking messages feel more natural. Even small but stressful moments, like trying to load a digital ticket while the onboard staff is already checking passes, become far less likely to happen.

Before and after the WAVETHRU treatment

For operators, the improvement goes beyond comfort. An increasing number of onboard systems depend on continuous connectivity. Diagnostics, maintenance data, ticketing, staff communication, and safety tools all rely on a stable signal. When the mobile signal can enter through the windows more reliably, there is far less need to compensate with onboard repeaters or extra equipment. It leads to smaller costs for installation, maintenance, and energy use, and it keeps the connectivity setup on board simpler and more predictable for operators..

As with buildings, this approach is operator agnostic. Trains cross regions, borders, and coverage zones. The treatment supports all of them because it is not tied to any device or network. It is also future proof because a physical path for radio waves remains valid even as networks evolve. And by keeping the original glazing, the solution avoids waste and reduces the environmental impact of maintaining or upgrading the train.

Looking beyond Buildings and Trains

The potential of the WAVETHRU approach reaches beyond architecture and rail. Many environments rely on coated glass and increasingly depend on mobile connectivity. Public transport fleets are adopting low emission glazing. Cars are using more advanced glass for thermal comfort while becoming more connected. Large buildings, stations, airports, logistics hubs, and industrial facilities continue to expand their use of wireless systems while relying on high performance façades. Wherever these trends meet, there is a growing need for materials that support signal propagation rather than restrict it.

As networks move toward higher frequencies and digital services become more essential to daily life, the interaction between materials and radio waves will matter more than ever. A passive approach that helps the signal reach the interior without extra equipment offers a practical path forward. It keeps environments cleaner, simpler, and more sustainable while improving everyday connectivity in a way people immediately understand.

Ultimately, the expectation is clear. Whether at work, at home, or on the move, people want their devices to function without friction. If glass can help make that possible, it should. WAVETHRU allows high performance glazing to support the connected world instead of standing in its way, shaping buildings and trains that feel more responsive to how people live and travel today, and to how they will connect in the years ahead.