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GBS On-Train WiFi Gets Green Light in Utah
(24 Oct 2016, BWCS Staff)US-based systems integrator The GBS Group has been given the go-ahead to roll out its cellular/trackside passenger WiFi solution on all FrontRunner trains operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). The move follows extensive testing of the system on lines running out of Salt Lake City. The initial contract was signed late last year.
UTA operates 45 miles of light rail in Salt Lake County and 90 miles of commuter rail from Salt Lake City to destinations in Utah and Weber counties. Last year its ridership totalled over 46.6 million, however, this figure also included passengers on the 600 buses that the authority operates.
The GBS system has in fact been up and running on UTA’s 90 miles of commuter track since May of this year. In the main it employs cellular signals to deliver WiFi connectivity to the trains, but it the company has also been using high bandwidth RF signals delivered via track-side towers for a 17 mile portion of the route.
The GBS Team worked with several key partners in delivering the solution. Core to the whole project was the train-to-ground, high throughput radio systems supplied by RADWIN and the on-board multi-backhaul connectivity solution supplied by 21Net. The trackside radio frequency coverage analysis was carried out by Boston company Isotrope LLC, who also supplied antenna optimization and wireless network consulting to the GBS Team. The precision fabrication mounts and fittings for the on-board kit were supplied by Tabet of Norfolk Virginia.
According to The GBS Group, the solution uses cloud-based application servers, hosted either outside or inside agency IT systems as desired. Remote Operations Support Systems (OSS) teams in Virginia Beach and Philadelphia monitor the performance of the system round the clock and work with local field engineers or technicians to upgrade or repair tower and train based systems.
The GBS Group provides application and custom hardware/software solutions for rolling stock health monitoring, passenger WiFi, train station display and announcing systems for passenger rail agencies including Amtrak, VIA Rail Canada, Maryland Transit Administration, New Jersey Transit, Toronto Transit Commission, Utah Transit Authority and most recently Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit.
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