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Cross Country Runs Free WiFi on all Trains
(24 Jan 2019, BWCS Staff)UK train operating company Cross Country says it has completed a year-long project to fit all of its 92 trains with WiFi. In addition, the Arriva-owned company has revealed that from this month, all passengers can now access the service for free. Previously it had only been free for First Class customers. Second Class ticket-holders had faced paying £2 for a one-hour connection.
As its name suggests, the Cross Country franchise operates long-distance routes across the UK, including the longest train journey from Aberdeen in the NE of Scotland to Penzance in the SW of England. All of its trains originate in, terminate at, or call into Birmingham New Street Station.
In late 2017, the operator announced a new contract with Nomad. The deal, which marked the expansion of an existing agreement, will see Nomad provide its digital train technology and associated services to keep the train operator’s passengers connected on their journey.
The agreement with Nomad covers Cross Country’s 58 Voyager trains, five High Speed Trains and 29 Turbostar units. The Newcastle-based supplier said its multi-million-pound agreement will continue up to 2020 and will “contribute to Cross Country’s digital rail strategy to offer its passenger leading technology solutions that enhance the journey experience.” As well as the on-board systems, Nomad said that it is providing technicians on the ground offering dedicated engineering maintenance expertise.
However, Arriva will have to strive to renew its franchise at the end of this year. Originally due to conclude on 31 March 2016, the franchise was extended to December 2019. An Invitation to Tender was to be issued in October 2018 for the next franchise, but in September 2018 the competition was cancelled to allow the recommendations from a report into the franchise system to be incorporate.
BWCS is constantly monitoring developments in the WiFi on Trains sector within each national market. For more information about how to access our international database of interviews and market developments, please contact Ross.Parsons@BWCS.com
On-board WiFi, trackside networks, the growing market for passenger WiFi services and on-board entertainment will be the main subjects of BWCS’s WiFi on Trains Conference 2019 on the 4th and 5th of June.
For more information on the conference please see www.Traincomms2019.com or contact Ross.Parsons@BWCS.com .
The 2019 conference (www.Traincomms2019.com ) is sponsored by Icomera, Nomad Digital, Fluidmesh, RADWIN and BAI Communications.
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