Pilot studies
The SetGMDI pilots are already underway. We are engaging with the key stakeholders GMDI depends on: mobile network operators, national meteorological and hydrological services, and other rainfall end users across two continents. First real data is already flowing from European networks, while African pilots are in their final preparation, with legal and data-sharing arrangements being concluded. GMDI-CAP, the collection, archiving and processing system at the heart of the initiative, has moved from development into live piloting.
What the Pilots Are Testing
Technical implementation:
Operators share microwave link data with GMDI-CAP, which processes it and merges it with other rainfall data sources to produce final gridded products. Temporal resolution reflects the data stream: 1 minute where operators have dedicated SNMP-based acquisition systems, 15 minutes from network performance reports. In parallel, the pilots are testing weather-aware network analytics tools that give operators back something useful: it helps them relate signal events to precipitation and better understand their network’s behaviour in adverse weather.
Engaging end users:
National meteorological and hydrological services are the first testing partners, evaluating GMDI rainfall products against their operational data and expertise. We are also actively inviting water industry partners: utilities, flood risk managers, and catchment authorities. Their operational needs will shape what GMDI delivers in the longer term.
Business and legal framework:
For GMDI to sustain and grow, the framework around the data needs to work for everyone. The pilots are testing legal templates for data-sharing agreements, developing business models that give operators meaningful incentives to participate, and establishing the governance structures that deliver real value to end users.
Pilot Sites
The first wave spans five countries across two continents:
| Country | Operator |
|---|---|
| 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | T-Mobile CZ |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Telefónica DE |
| 🇬🇭 Ghana | AT Ghana |
| 🇨🇲 Cameroon | Orange Cameroon |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Lepida |
This geographic spread is intentional. GMDI is designed for global scale from the outset, and the pilots reflect that ambition.