Blab Business
Scandinavian Digital Signage Powered by Com4s Cellular Connectivity
In Oslo, the glow of digital signs is a daily backdrop—from the towering board at Oslo Central Station to the small panels on buses and the Flytoget express train. Behind the crisp images and live updates is ZetaDisplay, a European digital‑signage pioneer that has been shaping the city’s information landscape since 1999, originally known as Pronto TV.
ZetaDisplay’s long‑term partnership with Flytoget, the Oslo Airport Express, ranks among the oldest software contracts in the Nordic region. After the company was acquired by the Swedish firm ZetaDisplay in 2016, it expanded to eight countries and now employs roughly 270 people. In Norway, its client roster includes Flytoget, Montér, Saint‑Gobain, Bjørklund and Ruter—the public‑transport authority that manages information screens at bus stops, metro stations and tram stops throughout the greater Oslo area.
For a digital‑signage provider, uptime is everything. A black screen means lost impact, lost revenue and lost trust. Many of ZetaDisplay’s displays sit in places where running fixed lines is difficult or impossible—bus stops, tram platforms and outdoor public spaces where fiber rarely reaches. Local Wi‑Fi is often unreliable or insecure for time‑critical public information, and older 2G‑based solutions could only handle simple text, which falls short of today’s rich graphics, real‑time data feeds and continuous API‑driven content updates.
To solve this, ZetaDisplay harnesses Com4’s cellular connectivity. Each display is paired with a Windows‑based PC, an industrial 4G modem and environmental sensors that monitor temperature, brightness and humidity. When the screen powers on, it connects automatically to the cloud via Com4’s network and pulls or streams its content from ZetaDisplay’s Engage Suite. The connection is secured with VPN tunnelling and encryption, allowing remote monitoring and control without compromising the security standards required by sensitive clients such as banks and healthcare providers.
For Ruter, the architecture delivers real‑time information based on the live GPS position of buses, trams and subways. Data from Ruter’s systems appears on the screens within seconds, powered end‑to‑end by Com4’s connectivity. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, the 4G network enabled Ruter to push infection‑control messaging and dynamic updates across its entire public‑transport network—something the older 2G infrastructure could not support.
"As long as we have an online connection, we can access any screen directly to troubleshoot, test and update software without sending a technician. This is crucial when you have thousands of devices in the field," said Marius Lysholm, Country Manager at ZetaDisplay.
The benefits of the cellular‑first approach are measurable:
Real‑time control – traffic information updates across displays within seconds. Reliability in demanding environments – screens stay online even without fiber. Fast, simple installation – no digging or cabling required; displays go live as soon as the Com4 SIM is activated. Full remote management – testing, software updates and troubleshooting handled entirely remotely. High security – VPN and encrypted communication meet strict requirements across transportation, banking and healthcare. Signage as a service – stable, high‑performance connectivity underpins a predictable, service‑based business model built around uptime.
Reliability also translates into sustainability. Remote diagnostics, software updates and troubleshooting reduce the need for site visits and truck rolls across ZetaDisplay’s network of installations, lowering the environmental footprint without sacrificing responsiveness.
Looking ahead, ZetaDisplay is exploring eSIM technology. Embedding an eSIM directly into display hardware would give each unit a more flexible backup connection, regardless of whether the primary access method is a fixed line or Wi‑Fi. Lysholm said, "Looking ahead, we see eSIM as the next step to secure even more seamless backup and communication. With continuous network access, we can rule out errors faster and gain better control of our devices."
Com4’s IoT connectivity is therefore the invisible Nordic‑engineered infrastructure that keeps public‑transport information reliable and seamless across Oslo and beyond. As digital signage becomes increasingly mission‑critical, the partnership between ZetaDisplay and Com4 illustrates how cellular connectivity can provide the uptime, security and scalability required by modern public‑transport networks.
Key figures: ZetaDisplay operates in eight countries, employs 270 people, and manages 120,000 active screen installations across more than 50 countries. The largest digital information board in Europe—128 m²—at Oslo Central Station is powered by Com4.
The partnership remains in place as ZetaDisplay continues to expand its digital‑signage footprint and Com4 maintains its focus on secure, scalable IoT connectivity for mission‑critical deployments across the Nordics and beyond.
ZetaDisplay’s long‑term partnership with Flytoget, the Oslo Airport Express, ranks among the oldest software contracts in the Nordic region. After the company was acquired by the Swedish firm ZetaDisplay in 2016, it expanded to eight countries and now employs roughly 270 people. In Norway, its client roster includes Flytoget, Montér, Saint‑Gobain, Bjørklund and Ruter—the public‑transport authority that manages information screens at bus stops, metro stations and tram stops throughout the greater Oslo area.
For a digital‑signage provider, uptime is everything. A black screen means lost impact, lost revenue and lost trust. Many of ZetaDisplay’s displays sit in places where running fixed lines is difficult or impossible—bus stops, tram platforms and outdoor public spaces where fiber rarely reaches. Local Wi‑Fi is often unreliable or insecure for time‑critical public information, and older 2G‑based solutions could only handle simple text, which falls short of today’s rich graphics, real‑time data feeds and continuous API‑driven content updates.
To solve this, ZetaDisplay harnesses Com4’s cellular connectivity. Each display is paired with a Windows‑based PC, an industrial 4G modem and environmental sensors that monitor temperature, brightness and humidity. When the screen powers on, it connects automatically to the cloud via Com4’s network and pulls or streams its content from ZetaDisplay’s Engage Suite. The connection is secured with VPN tunnelling and encryption, allowing remote monitoring and control without compromising the security standards required by sensitive clients such as banks and healthcare providers.
For Ruter, the architecture delivers real‑time information based on the live GPS position of buses, trams and subways. Data from Ruter’s systems appears on the screens within seconds, powered end‑to‑end by Com4’s connectivity. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, the 4G network enabled Ruter to push infection‑control messaging and dynamic updates across its entire public‑transport network—something the older 2G infrastructure could not support.
"As long as we have an online connection, we can access any screen directly to troubleshoot, test and update software without sending a technician. This is crucial when you have thousands of devices in the field," said Marius Lysholm, Country Manager at ZetaDisplay.
The benefits of the cellular‑first approach are measurable:
Real‑time control – traffic information updates across displays within seconds. Reliability in demanding environments – screens stay online even without fiber. Fast, simple installation – no digging or cabling required; displays go live as soon as the Com4 SIM is activated. Full remote management – testing, software updates and troubleshooting handled entirely remotely. High security – VPN and encrypted communication meet strict requirements across transportation, banking and healthcare. Signage as a service – stable, high‑performance connectivity underpins a predictable, service‑based business model built around uptime.
Reliability also translates into sustainability. Remote diagnostics, software updates and troubleshooting reduce the need for site visits and truck rolls across ZetaDisplay’s network of installations, lowering the environmental footprint without sacrificing responsiveness.
Looking ahead, ZetaDisplay is exploring eSIM technology. Embedding an eSIM directly into display hardware would give each unit a more flexible backup connection, regardless of whether the primary access method is a fixed line or Wi‑Fi. Lysholm said, "Looking ahead, we see eSIM as the next step to secure even more seamless backup and communication. With continuous network access, we can rule out errors faster and gain better control of our devices."
Com4’s IoT connectivity is therefore the invisible Nordic‑engineered infrastructure that keeps public‑transport information reliable and seamless across Oslo and beyond. As digital signage becomes increasingly mission‑critical, the partnership between ZetaDisplay and Com4 illustrates how cellular connectivity can provide the uptime, security and scalability required by modern public‑transport networks.
Key figures: ZetaDisplay operates in eight countries, employs 270 people, and manages 120,000 active screen installations across more than 50 countries. The largest digital information board in Europe—128 m²—at Oslo Central Station is powered by Com4.
The partnership remains in place as ZetaDisplay continues to expand its digital‑signage footprint and Com4 maintains its focus on secure, scalable IoT connectivity for mission‑critical deployments across the Nordics and beyond.
