News
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UK Government Questions Value of On-Board WiFi Services -Sparks Backlash
(23 May 2023, BWCS Staff)The UK Department for Transport appears to have thrown down the gauntlet to train companies to prove that on-board WiFi is worth having. The move comes amid a government review of costs as it looks to “reform all aspects of the railway”. However, leading industry experts have rebuffed the idea arguing that WiFi on trains is now seen as a fundamental service “as important as toilets” and must be maintained to help persuade passengers back on board. Almost all UK train operators provide free on-board WiFi as standard, but, according to Christian Wolmar’s......
US Train Operator Plucks Starlink out of the Sky for WiFi on Board Services
(10 May 2023, BWCS Staff)New Florida intercity train company, Brightline, is to use satellite delivered broadband to connect its entire fleet. The company, which runs services up and down the Sunshine State, will join unlikely bed-fellows Ukraine Railways and Lithuanian Railways in signing up to use SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service to supply WiFi on board. Brightline has confirmed that Starlink’s internet connectivity is currently available on its fleet of five trains running between Miami and West Palm Beach. It also says the service will be added to the new five-train fleet that run routes from......
New Survey Highlights Mobile Coverage Gaps on UK Rail Lines
(03 May 2023, BWCS Staff)Barely three weeks since the UK government addressed the lack of rail track mobile coverage in its Wireless Infrastructure Strategy paper, a mobile network analysis company has seemingly clarified the extent of the problem. To almost no-one’s surprise, a newly-published coverage survey by Streetwave addressing the main line from Edinburgh to London found a series of “not-spots” (areas of no mobile network coverage). However, the overall speed of mobile internet connection, when connected, was not bad and some mobile companies fared better than others. Overall, the data......
Lithuanian Trains to Test Starlink Supplied WiFi On-Board
(25 Apr 2023, BWCS Staff)Lithuanian Railways (LTG) is to be the latest train company to participate in the rejuvenation of satellite as a means of supplying broadband to trains. The national rail operator this week announced plans to test Internet on its trains provided by Starlink satellites. The three-month pilot project is slated to start sometime this quarter. Once one of the contenders to be a central channel for delivery of broadband to trains, satellite appears to be making a come-back in the train-to-shore connectivity stakes. Recently CGI, started work with the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture,......
Northern Completes t’Digital Upgrade …
(11 Apr 2023, BWCS Staff)Northern has completed a three-year project to improve on-board technology on its trains. The operator’s ‘digital train’ programme was a multi-million pound investment scheme to bring the older trains in its fleet up to date and provide them with the same digital facilities as the 101 new trains introduced into service two years ago. In total, Northern has refitted 233 trains with WiFi, HD CCTV cameras, live passenger information screens, passenger counting and 17,200 USB charging sockets. The Northern franchise comprises one of the two main rail networks serving the......
UK Government Aims to Boost Reporting of Coverage Gaps on Train Lines and Launches Satellite Trials Fund
(11 Apr 2023, BWCS Staff)A Policy Paper from the UK government, released today, has put “Fixing coverage reporting, including on trains and in rural areas” as one of its leading objectives. However, the document, entitled “UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy”, makes little mention of how such gaps, once discovered, should be eliminated. The government points to what it says will be “Substantial investments in telecoms and a new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy to put the UK at the forefront of science and technology, harness enterprise and innovation and drive economic......
NetSkrt Teams up with BAI in Battle to Improve On-Train Connectivity
(29 Mar 2023, BWCS Staff)Netskrt Systems and BAI Communications (BAI), soon to rebrand as Boldyn Networks, have announced plans to work together to enhance train passengers’ on-board WiFi experience. A statement from the two companies outlines how BAI will integrate Netskrt’s eCDN for Rail solution. The system deploys content delivery intelligence in the cloud and provides video caches on each train. BAI says it will combine this with its connected transport solution to give rail operators a seamless, easy to deploy and manage connectivity solution. The move is designed to help overcome the......
Cuban Train Passengers: “Havana Get Connected”
(20 Mar 2023, BWCS Staff)Cuba is set to be the latest country to launch WiFi on its trains. According to local news reports, state-owned Soluciones Integrales de Telecomunicaciones S.A. (Solintel) has embarked on a project to install Internet access for passengers traveling on trains as part of the process of “informatization of society.” These days, the World Bank estimates that around 70% of Cubans have access to the Internet. However, it is neither free nor fast – rather like the trains. Solintel’s president, Robelis Lambert Matos, explained that the project represents an “added......
RENFE Signs Headline Deal for Online Passengers
(07 Mar 2023, BWCS Staff)Spanish national train operator RENFE has signed up PressReader to provide an "all-you-can-read" online content service. The deal will see RENFE’s passengers gain access to the Canadian company’s extensive platform of digital newspapers and magazines. PressReader is keen to point out that its raft of titles will be available to train passengers in Spain before departure as well as on board. The service will be built into RENFE’s existing on-train passenger offering – PlayRENFE and will also be made available to all ticket purchasers via a text message with an access......
Huge UK Trackside Telecoms Deal Edges Closer
(21 Feb 2023, BWCS Staff)Neos Networks, formerly known as SSE Telecoms, has emerged as the preferred bidder for Network Rail’s Project Reach. While this does not mean Neos has won the day, it is at least in the driving seat to partner Network Rail in its £1 billion drive to upgrade around 16,000km of trackside cable network and add new wireless masts. Last year, both Neos Networks (bidding alongside Cellnex) and Virgin Media (bidding alongside Nokia and Jacobs) were approved to bid to be NR’s partner in the huge trackside telecoms upgrade. Neos said it will invest in the design and......
Transport for Wales Launches New WiFi Portal
(01 Feb 2023, BWCS Staff)Government-owned Welsh train operator, Transport for Wales (TfW), has launched a new on-train WiFi portal across its fleet. The portal, developed by GoMedia, features real time information, enables passengers to submit in-journey feedback and even share their journey information with friends and family. GoMedia points out that the portal uses data sources and GPS mapping to provide expected arrival and departure times, relevant platform numbers, onward travel options and other useful info. TfW has been operating all services within Wales since the 7th February 2021 (succeeding KeolisAmey......
PaxLife and onway Combine to Win Northern Italian On-Train Systems Tender
(18 Jan 2023, BWCS Staff)PaxLife Innovations in Germany and Swiss-based onway, have jointly won the tender to supply an on-train WiFi and Infotainment System to Südtiroler Transportstrukturen AG (STA) in northern Italy. The pair emerged victorious in a public tender held by STA. Under the terms of the deal, Paxlife and onway will operate and maintain the new on-board systems – including the routers, hotspot controllers, media servers and central management system - for a period of at least six years. The contact also has an option to extend this period. The system will be installed on 25 Stadler ETR 170......
Cellnex Signs First Customer for Enhanced Trackside Network
(11 Jan 2023, BWCS Staff)Neutral host company Cellnex has signed up Three UK as its first mobile customer on the busy London to Brighton Line. The supplier has a 25-year deal with Network Rail to provide enhanced connectivity along the route and Three is the first of the four UK mobile companies to sign up to use it. The deal will give Three access to Cellnex’s recently deployed, trackside and station distributed antenna systems, which will cover the 51-mile mainline route. According to Cellnex, customers of Three UK will be able to experience “noticeable improvements to their mobile and data......
Nomad Digital Awarded Contracts to Provide Broadband Communication Services for New Caltrain Fleet
(06 Jan 2023, BWCS Staff)Nomad Digital has won two contracts from US West Coast train operator Caltrain. The deals will see the UK based company, supply, implement, operate and maintain a turnkey Trackside Radio Network for Caltrain. The projects will run on the newly electrified line between San Francisco and San José and both include associated on-train services. According to a report from the supplier, it will install a Radio Network alongside the track using mmWave radio technology to deliver gigabit broadband performance. The complete end-to-end network architecture includes the use of next generation train......
Indian Consortium in Massive Project to Monetise Passenger WiFi
(05 Jan 2023, BWCS Staff)RailTel, the privatised technology company once part of Indian Railways, has announced a major new partnership aimed at monetising its impressive spread of station WiFi hotspots. The company, which has introduced WiFi connectivity at some 6,180 rail stops across the subcontinent, says it has signed up a consortium of technology forms led by 3i Infotech Ltd, to try to wring some revenue out if its estimated 1.1 million daily WiFi users. According to this week’s announcement from RailTel, it will work with 3i, plus Forensics Intelligence Surveillance and Security Technologies Private......
Romanian Trains in WiFi Trial
(14 Dec 2022, BWCS Staff)CFR Călători, the state-owned passenger train operator in Romania, has announced plans to trial free WiFi services on some of its InterCity trains. The company has partnered with Orange Business Services to offer passengers on 33 carriages free on-board access to the Internet. The service will apparently be available to subscribers of all four of Romania’s mobile networks. Earlier this year the Romanian Authority for Railway Reform (ARF) signed a contract to purchase 20 long-distance electric trains, with an option to increase the order to 37 trains. The new trains, which......
Stadler Signs Westermo to Provide Comms Tech on New SBB Fleet
(29 Nov 2022, BWCS Staff)Swiss-based train manufacturer, Stadler, has signed up Westermo to provide networking......
McLaren On-Board Connectivity to Help Network Rail Monitor its Assets
(18 Nov 2022, BWCS Staff)Network Rail, has signed a five-year deal with McLaren Applied to provide on-board 5G connectivity for the UK rail administrator’s infrastructure monitoring trains. McLaren says it will deploy its patented Fleet Connect software on the existing Active Antenna hardware. The programme was developed for connectivity in Formula 1 racing. The software is already being used in several transport fleets around the world. According to McLaren, it provides seamless, high-speed passenger WiFi connections and operator uplinks. Uniquely, the data is transmitted across available networks, but......
Western Australia Public Transport Signs Nokia for Full Private Wireless Network
(11 Aug 2022, BWCS Staff)Global telecoms equipment supplier Nokia has been chosen by the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia to supply an all-singing, all-dancing, private wireless network. Under the terms of the deal, reportedly worth some Au$327 million (US$230.7 million), Nokia will upgrade PTA’s railway communications with a private wireless system covering 250Km of rail track. This will involve the construction of more than 160 LTE/4.9G radio sites. The project package is said to include designing and building and five years of maintenance for the PTA’s communications system. The......
Trenitalia to Present at Traincomms 2022! …
(02 Aug 2022, BWCS Staff)Italian national operator, Trenitalia, is the latest major train company to sign up to speak at this year’s WiFi on Trains Conference – Traincomms 2022. The two people driving the project at Trenitalia will present their experiences with WiFi on board and how they view the future of this service. The full conference programme is available at www.Traincomms.com Trenitalia will join speakers from: • Network Rail – discussing plans to partner with suppliers to improve national trackside coverage.......
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