|
May 3, 2006
GNER has reached a major milestone in its bid to create UK’s first all-WiFi train fleet. The East Coast train operator announced that it has now completed work to install wireless Internet on board 21 of its 41 trains, taking it past the half-way point in the rollout to the entire GNER fleet.
GNER claims that it was the first train operator in the UK to provide uninterrupted Internet connection for passengers while traveling, using WiFi technology. When GNER began its current franchise in May 2005, it confirmed plans to install WiFi across its fleet, following a successful trial onboard ten rebuilt ‘Mallard’ trains. First Class passengers can access WiFi free of charge during their journey, while in Standard Class the system operates on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ principle, similar to an Internet café. WiFi is also available free of charge in all eight of GNER’s First Class lounges at locations along the East Coast route.
Although completion was due for May 2007, GNER speeded up the project and all of its trains are expected to have WiFi by August of this year – nine months early. Work to fit wireless Internet equipment to the remainder of GNER’s train fleet is continuing daily at the company’s depots at Bounds Green in north London and at Craigentinny near Edinburgh.
GNER trains send and receive communications signals via a combination of a roof-mounted satellite dish and mobile phone antenna using 3G and GPRS technology. Each coach along the entire length of the train is then connected via the onboard wireless network to create a WiFi hot-spot throughout every coach on the train.
|
