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O-Train Riders to get WiFi and Enhanced Cellular Connections
(16 Sep 2019, BWCS Staff)Canadian capital city, Ottowa, has announced plans to put WiFi onto one half of the O-Train system that serves its one million inhabitants. The news follows hot on the heels of last week’s announcement that WiFi is to be launched on trains and buses in the Toronto area.
According to Mayor, Jim Watson, riders on the newly-launched Confederation Line will enjoy complimentary WiFi and improved on-board cellular service thanks to a partnership with Canadian telco TELUS Communications Inc. The system will ensure that passengers remain connected in tunnels and in stations.
The O-Train Confederation Line is a Ca$2.13 billion (US$1.61 billion) transit project. It has been bankrolled by the national government, the Ontario provincial government and the city of Ottawa. The 12.5km line, which opened on Saturday 14th September 2019, can carry up to 10,700 passengers per hour in each direction between the 13 Metropolitan stations. Trains will arrive every five minutes or less at the busiest times.
TELUS says it will provide free, unlimited WiFi at the start of the O-Train Confederation Line service in the three downtown stations and door to door cellular service through the entire system including in the 2.5km (1.55 mile) downtown tunnel.
Group President of TELUS, François Gratton, said “We are extremely proud of our partnership with the city of Ottawa and look forward to contributing to the city’s largest infrastructure project since the Rideau Canal was built.”
On-train WiFi services, trackside networks, the growing market for passenger WiFi and on-board entertainment will be the main subjects of BWCS’s WiFi on Trains Conference next June. For information on speaking and sponsorship opportunities at the 2020 event, please contact Ross.Parsons@BWCS.com .
For more detailed country-by-country data on how the market for on-train WiFi services is developing please see www.Internet4Trains.com or contact Mandy.Cale@BWCS.com .
The 2019 conference (www.Traincomms2019.com ) was sponsored by Icomera, Nomad Digital, Fluidmesh, RADWIN and BAI Communications.
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