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Major Metro System to get Free On-Train WiFi

(20 Apr 2016, BWCS Staff)

Passengers on the Delhi Metro, one of the largest urban rail systems in the World, will soon be offered free on-board WiFi via an app. With approximately 2.75 million passengers using the sprawling Metro network every day, the companies backing the new system believe they will offer advertisers a chance to reach an audience far greater than that currently offered by The Times of India.

The Metro, which has five lines stretching 213km around Delhi and its satellite cities of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad, is no stranger to new technology, already boasting driverless trains and in-carriage USB charging points. This next tech addition will come via a contract with video platform PING Networks and tech supplier, Techno Sat Comm. The latter is a veteran of on-train WiFi solutions and has worked with Indian Railways and 21Net to provide on-board Internet for passengers on the Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express.

The dedicated App that passengers will be offered will display location, approach and destination stations on a real-time basis and help travellers navigate connections between different lines. However, primarily it will offer exclusive entertainment and city-based content that passengers can see, also on a real-time basis.

Speaking to Forbes Magazine, PING founder, Prashanto Das claimed that the new service will offer connections at speeds “Up to four times faster than 4G”. However, it is not clear how much of the track will be covered.

Das told Forbes that the App will offer “A content mix, like a newspaper – anything people on the metro would love to read. It’s an intelligent system, so a lot of analytics, data go into it – you’ll get top news, trending stories, music – everything purely based on consumer patterns. They’ll be able to access it all through an app. It allows you to connect to the app from the station, use it through your journey, and if you’re not done reading, watching, you can connect to the app again from your next WiFi access spot.”

Nirav Dave of Techno Sat Com claimed in a separate interview “We have adapted the technology to India keeping in mind adverse weather conditions including heat, dust, heavy rains, vibration of trains and large passenger loads. We look forward to deliver a great passenger WiFi and Multimedia experience.”

With commissioning of new lines in 2016 which will also inter-connect to existing lines, daily ridership on the Delhi Metro is expected to jump dramatically in future.

Indian Railways will be one of the main presenters at this year’s WiFi on Trains Conference hosted by BWCS. 

The Conference will examine the expanding market for on-board WiFi services as well as the problems of intermittent mobile coverage, proposed trackside solutions.

For more information please see www.Traincomms2016.com or contact Ross.Parsons@BWCS.com  .



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