From 1 August 2025, the European Union’s updated Radio Equipment Directive (RED) introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for internet connected devices sold in the EU. These rules – covering network protection, data security, and fraud prevention – are now essential for obtaining the CE mark.

At RACOM, we are proud to confirm that our entire product portfolio – RAy3 microwave links, M!DGE3 cellular routers, and RipEX2 radio routers – already meets these new requirements. Even better, this compliance is delivered to our customers through free, regular, incremental firmware upgrades, ensuring your deployed devices stay secure and up to date without extra cost or disruption.

The updated RED focuses on three areas, with the first one being the most relevant for our type of devices:

• Network protection (Art. 3.3 d) – Devices must not harm networks or misuse resources in ways that degrade service quality.
• Data and privacy safeguards (Art. 3.3 e) – Strong encryption, secure authentication, and privacy-by-design measures must protect personal data at every stage.
• Fraud prevention (Art. 3.3 f) – Features like cryptographic FW signing, and anti-tampering mechanisms must prevent device cloning or misuse.

To help manufacturers demonstrate compliance, the EU published the EN 18031 series of harmonized standards in January 2025, giving a clear framework for building security into wireless products from the ground up.

Our engineering teams have ensured that RAy, M!DGE, and RipEX devices meet – and in many areas exceed – RED’s cybersecurity requirements. Network integrity is protected through secure firmware, various traffic encryption technologies and in the case of RipEX2 radio interface through our unique automatic AES key rotation.

We also make security effortless for users. Our new first-login procedure – featured in the short video below – guides every new owner through creating a custom username and password. A built-in visual password strength meter helps ensure that passwords are not just unique, but strong enough to withstand real-world threats.

When you choose RACOM, you get more than just hardware. You gain:

• Full EU RED cybersecurity compliance across RAy, M!DGE, and RipEX
• Free, incremental firmware feature and security updates that keep devices secure over time and even expand their capabilities
• Future-proof technology ready for evolving regulations and security challenges
• User-friendly setup that reduces support calls and speeds onboarding
• Long-term reliability and trust from a company with decades of industrial networking expertise

Watch our quick video to see how easy it is to set up your RACOM device securely from the very first login. With real-time password strength feedback, you can be confident your connection is protected from day one.

If you’d like to know which RACOM solution is the best fit for your IoT, SCADA, or telecom project, get in touch with our team today. We’ll help you deploy connectivity that’s secure, reliable, and ready for the future.

Securing essential human needs is at the heart of what we do. Delivering drinking water and keeping wastewater treatment plants running belong among the most fundamental requirements of every society. For over 30 years, RACOM equipment has been trusted in these critical infrastructures, providing reliable communication that keeps water networks safe, connected, and under control.

The very first RACOM radio modems were deployed in Czech and Slovak water networks back in 1994. Since then, our solutions have grown to power nearly all of the fifty largest water utilities in Czechia and they are now widely adopted abroad. In Austria and Norway, RACOM holds more than 80% market share. In Norway alone, where radio communication is indispensable due to harsh terrain and sparse population, our devices are in use across more than 100 locations.

Many of these radios have been running 24/7 for nearly three decades. While their reliability is unquestioned, the time has come to look ahead and prepare networks for new challenges.

Several key drivers make modernization essential:

• Cybersecurity & RED compliance – From 1 August 2025, all wireless devices sold in the EU must comply with the updated Radio Equipment Directive (RED). Its enhanced cybersecurity requirements go beyond what older radios including MR series and the original RipEX can support.
• Ease of operation – Modern SCADA teams expect user-friendly interfaces. Older radios often rely on command-line access only, which is no longer practical.
• Component availability – While RACOM continues to repair older products (and can even deliver new units in some cases), sourcing discontinued components is becoming increasingly difficult.
• Data capacity – Legacy radios cannot keep pace with the growing bandwidth needs of today’s SCADA systems.
• Hybrid networks – Modern water utilities often require combinations of private radio channels with public 4G/5G networks. Older radios were not built for this flexibility.

These challenges affect not only RACOM MR radios and the first-generation RipEX, but also third-party radios from Motorola, Kenwood, SATEL, CONEL, and others.

Utilities across Europe are already upgrading to RipEX2 and M!DGE:

• Vodovody a kanalizace Havlíčkův Brod (CZ) replaced 17-year-old MR400 modems with RipEX2.“RipEX2 solved our network capacity issue. It’s also the first step towards migrating the whole system to modern IP communications fully aligned with current SCADA requirements.”
• Vodovody a kanalizace Hradec Králové (CZ) moved from Conel radios to a hybrid RipEX2 + M!DGE3 solution, using mobile networks as backup channels.
• Liptovská vodárenská spoločnosť (SK) is migrating from Motorola and Kenwood radios to RipEX2 in the Low Tatras.“RipEX2 brought us the security upgrade we needed, without losing performance,” says the LVS network manager.
• Trenčianske vodárne a kanalizácie (SK) replaced 112 RipEX units with RipEX2, complemented by M!DGE routers for secure remote access.“We wanted a smooth transition. RipEX2’s compatibility with our existing setup made the migration straightforward,” explains the operations manager.
• Brněnské vodárny a kanalizace (CZ) are deploying M!DGE3 alongside RipEX2, creating an independent, cybersecure channel for sensitive systems.
• In Austria and Norway, utilities are replacing legacy networks with RipEX2 to achieve RED compliance without reducing availability during migration.

Even in networks where RAy microwave links provide high-capacity backbone connectivity (e.g. VaK Hodonín or JVS), RipEX2 plays a crucial role by delivering secure and reliable last-mile radio communication.

Moving to RipEX2 brings far more than RED compliance:

• Future-proof performance with high throughput and low latency
• Compatibility with existing devices for phased migrations
• Enhanced network capability with modern, more powerful radios
• Downtime-free deployment thanks to RACOM’s Migration Solution
• Long-term security with free, regular, incremental firmware updates

For operators, this means extending the life of their infrastructure while gaining confidence that their network is ready for the next decades.

Whether you are replacing a handful of radios or planning a full network upgrade, RipEX2 offers a secure, reliable, and fully RED-compliant solution for your water distribution system.

When combined with M!DGE cellular routers for hybrid access and RAy microwave links for backbone connectivity, RACOM delivers an integrated communication platform for critical infrastructure,  serving rural communities, cities, and national networks alike.

Contact our team to explore your upgrade options and see how RipEX2, M!DGE3 and RAy3 can bring your network into the future — securely, smoothly, and without disruption.

What do you do when fiber just isn’t an option? In the mountains and cities of Oman, over 150 substations trust M!DGE routers to keep the lights on!

Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), now operating under the Nama Electricity Distribution Company following the national electricity sector restructuring in 2021–22, is responsible for the distribution of electricity across the Muscat Governorate—an area covering over 3,900 square kilometers of mountainous and urban terrain.

As part of its Distribution SCADA System, the company needed to ensure reliable, secure, and scalable communication between its primary 33/11 kV substations and the Distribution Control Centre (DCC). In areas where fiber-optic connectivity was unavailable or at risk of disruption, a high-availability wireless backup was essential.

In 2014, RACOM supplied 160+ M!DGE 3G cellular routers to serve as a backup to fiber and ensure continuous data exchange using the IEC 60870-5-104 protocol. Each router connected to a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) at the substations, maintaining secure, end-to-end IP communication—even in Oman’s harsh climate and rugged terrain.

The M!DGE routers performed with such consistency and reliability that when it came time to upgrade the system in 2023, Nama Electricity Distribution Company issued a new tender—this time for next-generation 4/5G routers.

RACOM’s M!DGE3 router won the tender over several well-known competitors, including the Advantech SR303 and Teltonika RUT955, proving once again its technical superiority, long-term stability, and value in mission-critical environments.

M!DGE3 brought major enhancements to the system, including:

• Multiple Ethernet ports, digital I/Os, and multiple SIM slots
• Support for VPN, IPsec tunneling, and firewall features for enhanced network security
• Carrier flexibility and future-proofing with full 4G and 5G compatibility

Today, over 150 substations across the Muscat region rely on M!DGE routers—first with 3G and now upgraded to 4/5G—for resilient SCADA communications. The transition from M!DGE to M!DGE3 was executed smoothly, maintaining continuity and minimizing operational disruption.

RACOM’s long-standing relationship with MEDC, now Nama Electricity Distribution Company, is a testament to product quality, technical support, and ongoing innovation. The success of this project further solidifies M!DGE’s reputation as a go-to solution for secure and stable utility communications in complex geographies.

When a single gas leak can put lives at risk, there’s no room for communication failure. In the blistering heat of the UAE’s sour gas fields, RACOM’s M!DGE routers are on guard—delivering instant alerts and nonstop SCADA connectivity where safety is non-negotiable.

As global demand for natural gas continues to rise, oil and gas companies are increasingly developing sour gas fields—reservoirs with high concentrations of hazardous gases such as Hydrogen Sulphide (H₂S) and Carbon Dioxide (CO₂). These fields present serious operational challenges: higher toxicity, increased corrosion, greater safety risks, and significant cost implications.

In the Middle East, the development of sour gas fields has become an urgent priority due to growing regional energy demands. Compounding the issue, many operating fields are experiencing increased sourness over time, with contaminants like H₂S becoming more prevalent during the production lifecycle.

To ensure continuous, safe operations in such conditions, ADNOC Onshore (formerly ADCO), the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations, needed a robust, secure, and field-proven communications solution for toxic gas monitoring and wellhead SCADA systems.

Between 2014 and 2025, RACOM delivered multiple batches of M!DGE2 and M!DGE3 cellular routers—complete with rugged outdoor antennas and accessories—to ADNOC Onshore through several trusted system integrators. These routers are now deployed across various oil and gas fields in the UAE, supporting mission-critical applications such as:

• Toxic gas leak detection at H₂S-rich wells
• Wellhead monitoring and automation
• Remote SCADA data transmission and alarm notification

Each M!DGE router is tightly integrated with Rockwell RTUs to form a reliable, compact unit. Operating in harsh desert conditions—often exceeding 50 °C—these assemblies ensure constant communication via cellular networks. In the event of a gas leak (e.g., reaching the 10 ppm alarm threshold), the system immediately triggers SMS notifications to designated personnel via the M!DGE router.

In addition to performance, security has been paramount. M!DGE supports advanced networking features such as VPN tunneling, IPsec encryption, and end-to-end IP connectivity, providing ADNOC with a secure platform for remote access and control.

The M!DGE-based systems have run continuously and without interruption, despite environmental extremes and the critical nature of the applications they support. ADNOC Onshore has expressed high satisfaction with both the reliability and flexibility of the solution, leading to continued orders and further expansion through local UAE-based partners.

This long-standing cooperation underscores RACOM’s reputation as a trusted provider of industrial-grade cellular communications for hazardous and high-demand environments.

When your customers monitor power grids and pumping stations north of the Arctic Circle, “reliable” isn’t optional—it’s mission-critical. In Scandinavia’s toughest terrain, RACOM’s M!DGE routers are the invisible force behind secure industrial VPNs.

Since 1999, Last Mile Communication (LMC) has delivered high-reliability communication solutions for enterprise-critical infrastructure across Scandinavia. Over time, LMC identified a growing customer need: secure, remote access and monitoring for industrial installations—often located in harsh, remote environments with no off-the-shelf solution available.

To address this market gap, LMC founded IOG, a dedicated company focused on delivering leased, fully managed M2M (machine-to-machine) VPN services. Their customers—ranging from utility providers to energy companies—require secure, reliable connections for pumping stations, power installations, and environmental monitoring systems. Typical deployments range from 2 to 70 sites, often in mountainous or northern regions where connectivity and environmental conditions are challenging.

To guarantee the high service levels (SLAs) that underpin IOG’s business model, every component of the infrastructure must perform flawlessly. After extensive field testing and years of operational experience, IOG selected RACOM’s M!DGE cellular routers as their standard solution.

M!DGE offers:

• Proven stability in extreme weather and isolated locations
• Full support for serial SCADA protocols, critical to many of IOG’s clients
• Secure VPN tunneling and remote access features tailored for industrial-grade environments

By integrating M!DGE units into its VPN architecture, IOG ensures secure, uninterrupted data flow—regardless of network conditions or geographic constraints. As of 2017, more than 500 M!DGE units are deployed across the IOG network, forming the backbone of its leased service offering.

The collaboration between LMC and RACOM dates back to 2001, spanning multiple product generations. According to Dag Nielsen, Technical Director at LMC:

“LMC’s cooperation with RACOM dates back to 2001. During this time, LMC has used different RACOM products and has always been happy and satisfied with levels of performance and reliability. RACOM technical support has also been excellent. It is why M!DGE is our product of choice.”

Thanks to M!DGE’s reliability and RACOM’s ongoing support, IOG has earned a strong reputation for quality and innovation in the Scandinavian market—delivering secure connectivity where it matters most.

What does it take to keep an entire nation’s power grid connected, from bustling cities to remote islands? In Vietnam, over 3,000 M!DGE routers are doing just that—quietly powering the country’s SCADA backbone, one recloser at a time.

Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the country’s largest state-owned power company, is responsible for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution across Vietnam. As part of an ongoing modernization of its SCADA telemetry infrastructure—particularly to connect and manage reclosers—EVN faced the challenge of building a reliable and secure communication network over a vast and diverse geographic area.

The solution had to meet strict performance criteria while remaining within budgetary constraints. After evaluating multiple communication technologies, cellular routers emerged as the most suitable option due to their flexibility, availability, and cost-effectiveness.

Following comprehensive testing, RACOM’s M!DGE cellular routers were selected as the best fit for EVN’s needs. M!DGE demonstrated exceptional performance, maintaining high link integrity and offering advanced networking features such as IPsec, VPN tunneling, and reliable end-to-end data handling in varied environments.

The SCADA network is built around a central control system equipped with VPN concentrators from vendors such as Cisco, Vigor, and Juniper. M!DGE routers at remote sites connect to this core via encrypted IPsec tunnels or NAPT configurations, depending on the topology and security requirements.

One of the key benefits of the M!DGE platform is its ability to support both serial and Ethernet-based communication simultaneously. The EVN network utilizes IEC 101 over RS232 for legacy devices, alongside modern IEC 104 over TCP/IP for newer equipment—providing a smooth migration path and ensuring compatibility across generations of reclosers.

Since the initial deployment in 2017, EVN has continually expanded its network using all generations of the M!DGE product family, including the latest M!DGE3. The routers have proven to be easy to install and configure, allowing the local teams to manage ongoing installations with minimal support from RACOM.

The project stands as a testament to the reliability, flexibility, and future-proof design of RACOM’s cellular routers in large-scale SCADA applications.

How do you keep underwater oil pipelines safe from thousands of kilometers away—while battling salt spray, signal dropouts, and the wrath of the sea? In Indonesia, RACOM’s M!DGE router dove right in.

Indonesia’s PT Starcom Solusindo has been delivering robust network solutions since 2000, serving national industries with both licensed and unlicensed wireless infrastructure. One of their most demanding recent projects involved safeguarding submarine pipelines at PERTAMINA (Persero), Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas company.

At three of PERTAMINA’s refineries, Single Point Mooring (SPM) systems — offshore buoys that facilitate crude oil transfers from tankers — required constant leak monitoring. Given the pipelines stretch underwater to coastal terminals, any undetected breach could result in significant environmental and economic consequences.

Starcom needed a highly reliable communication backbone between offshore and onshore systems. The chosen solution had to be hardened for marine and industrial environments, capable of encrypted VPN tunneling, and programmable to meet custom protocol needs.

After evaluating several vendors, RACOM’s M!DGE cellular router stood out as the clear winner. Its industrial-grade design, powerful security stack, and open software architecture made it the ideal choice for this mission-critical deployment.

Each pipeline was equipped with two M!DGE units: one offshore and one onshore. Data from the leak detection system was transmitted through a secure OpenVPN tunnel, ensuring integrity across the link.

A major differentiator in this project was M!DGE’s support for RACOM’s Software Development Kit (SDK). The Starcom team, in collaboration with RACOM engineers, developed a custom TCP-based listener script that monitored WWAN1/WWAN2 status and MOBILE1 signal strength. It responded to requests using the ModbusTCP protocol, as required by the client, and delivered values into specific registers and byte locations tailored to PERTAMINA’s SCADA system.

This level of integration was critical in matching the customer’s expectations without the need for additional middleware.

While Starcom provided the local know-how and on-site implementation, RACOM’s remote technical support team in the Czech Republic ensured seamless integration and configuration. The result was a stable, secure, and responsive monitoring system protecting vital infrastructure beneath the sea.

How do you upgrade hundreds of critical utility sites in a 1.7-million-person city—without interrupting services or ripping out legacy systems? In Fez, Morocco, RADEEF did it with RipEX2.

As Morocco’s second-largest city, Fez relies on RADEEF, its regional utility provider, to deliver stable water and electricity services. But RADEEF’s communication infrastructure—built on outdated radio modems using serial connections—was no longer compliant with new national cybersecurity requirements.

The utility needed a modern, IP-based communication system that would:

• Meet strict security regulations
• Integrate with existing serial-based assets
• Offer high reliability and resilience
• Scale easily across hundreds of sites

The challenge was not only technical—it also involved a phased migration across an active, city-wide utility network without disrupting service.

Following an in-depth evaluation process, RADEEF selected RACOM’s RipEX2 radio modems—chosen for their performance, interoperability, and secure migration features.

Key aspects of the deployment included:

• Base Driven Protocol (BDP) for deterministic, collision-free communication
• DNP3 support for SCADA integration
• Flexible modulation (DPSK to 256 QAM) to optimize throughput and link stability
• Hot Standby (RipEX2-HS) base stations for high availability and redundancy

The migration began with two independent star-topology subnetworks, each with 25 RipEX2 modems. These subnetworks connected to RADEEF’s central control room via additional RipEX2-HS units, providing fault-tolerant communication over a 25 kHz channel width.

RACOM’s migration tools allowed for gradual transition from serial to IP without replacing every device at once—preserving investments and avoiding service downtime.

The collaborative effort between RADEEF engineers, RACOM’s Czech-based specialists, and local integrator SOHIME produced outstanding results:

• Seamless migration with zero service interruption
• High-reliability communications, with most links operating at 64–256 QAM
• Scalability proven: from 50 pilot sites in 2019 to 250+ sites by 2021
• Ongoing expansion plans, including RAy microwave integration for high-throughput SCADA center connections

RADEEF’s transformation sets a new benchmark for modernizing utility infrastructure in North Africa—blending legacy compatibility with cutting-edge IP networking to serve the growing demands of Fez’s urban environment.

Can high-speed, collision-free data really travel deep underground—through rock, dust, and tunnels? Thanks to Sigma and RACOM’s RipEX2, it can. And it’s changing the game for underground industries.

For over 30 years, Sigma has been a leader in underground communication solutions, providing dependable connectivity in some of the world’s harshest environments. But as industries evolve—mining, tunneling, and other subterranean operations increasingly demand higher data rates, greater capacity, and low-latency, reliable communications.

To meet these demands, Sigma developed its new Data Over Leaky Feeder (DOLF) system. The next step was to identify a future-proof radio modem capable of delivering high modulation rates and robust connectivity underground—where traditional radio signals struggle.

Following a thorough evaluation process, Sigma selected the RipEX2 radio modem, operating in the 150 MHz band, as the core communication engine for the DOLF system. Its support for 256QAM, Base Driven Protocol (BDP), and point-to-multipoint architecture made it uniquely suited for underground deployment.

System highlights include:

• Surface-based head-end RipEX2 units wirelessly communicating with numerous RTUs deep within tunnel networks
• Leaky feeder infrastructure to guide radio signals throughout complex subterranean paths
• 256QAM modulation used for high-capacity, high-efficiency transmission
• Base Driven Protocol (BDP) ensuring synchronized, collision-free communication
• Close collaboration with RACOM’s technical team to integrate a wide variety of Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) into the system

Thanks to the modem’s advanced sleep modes and rugged performance, it delivers long-term reliability in remote and hard-to-access underground locations.

The DOLF system powered by RipEX2 has delivered tangible operational benefits to Sigma and its clients:

• Stable, high-speed communication in environments previously limited to low-bandwidth or voice-only systems
• Dramatically improved data availability, reducing downtime and enhancing decision-making in the field
• Decreased maintenance needs, with robust hardware and reliable connections minimizing service disruptions
• Positive customer feedback, confirming that RipEX2 has exceeded expectations for performance and reliability

With this proven success, Sigma is now scaling the DOLF solution to new underground sites globally, confident in the long-term partnership with RACOM and the adaptability of RipEX2 technology.

Can a radio modem outperform microwave links in rugged terrain—and still cut costs? In New Zealand, a successful trial proved that RACOM’s RipEX2 can do exactly that.

New Zealand’s diverse and often mountainous landscape presents significant challenges for communication networks, especially when it comes to interconnecting remote base stations in a DMR Tier 3 voice network. Traditional microwave links offer high-speed connections but come at a high cost and often require line-of-sight, limiting their practicality in rugged terrain.

Ashley, a communications provider, needed a cost-effective, full-duplex solution to link three geographically dispersed base stations to a central hub. The solution had to handle real-time voice data across the 400 MHz band—without compromising reliability.

In partnership with Holland Communications, Ashley conducted a live pilot using RACOM’s RipEX2 radio modems operating in the licensed 400 MHz band. The goal: to test their suitability for full-duplex communication and seamless interconnection of DMR Tier 3 base stations.

Key advantages delivered by RipEX2:

• Up to 1.7 Mbps throughput with consistent performance, even in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions
• Full-duplex communication, ensuring clear and simultaneous two-way voice traffic
• Substantially lower cost than deploying traditional microwave links
• Simplified infrastructure requirements, minimizing deployment complexity in remote areas

The trial was a complete success. RipEX2 modems not only met technical expectations but also delivered performance benefits that exceeded cost-to-value benchmarks.

Ashley’s successful experience led to a strategic decision to adopt RipEX2 modems for future DMR network rollouts across New Zealand. Key outcomes included:

• Improved reliability across difficult terrain and challenging weather conditions
• Lower CAPEX and OPEX, by replacing microwave with cost-efficient RipEX2 solutions
• Greater flexibility in deploying new base stations thanks to reduced dependency on line-of-sight paths
• Scalability for long-term infrastructure growth

With RipEX2, Ashley is now well-positioned to deliver stable, high-performance voice communication across some of New Zealand’s most remote and rugged environments—proving that smart radio technology can outperform legacy systems in both price and performance.