By Andy McCue, 1 December 2003 13:46
NEWS Train operator GNER is offering free wireless high-speed internet access from today to passengers as part of a three-week trial on one Wi-Fi-enabled train running from London Kings Cross to Scotland.
As exclusively revealed by silicon.com back in August, GNER is looking to introduce Wi-Fi services to make train journeys more attractive to business people and try to win back custom from low-cost no-frills domestic airlines.
GNER has set up a website with information on the service and to allow customers to register to take part in the free trials.
"Offering wireless Internet access on the move makes time you spend travelling by train even more productive. Passengers can look forward to conducting business on the move throughout their entire journey," the website says.
Customers wanting to try out wireless broadband on the move need to have a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop and must buy a first class ticket for the coach equipped with the wireless data communication system built by Icomera.
"You will experience approximately the same kind of quality as with a DSL connection though the connection speed will vary based on obstacles along the railway track and the amount of coverage offered for the different networks used," the website says.
Satellite receivers are fitted to the train but connection speed will vary during the journey. GNER said that, for example, when the train passes through a tunnel, 4-6 cellular phone links are used in parallel to maintain the internet connection, so even if the speed decreases temporarily, the connection will entirely not drop.
If the trial, which was due to begin in September, is successful GNER will fit the equipment to 10 high-speed diesel trains and then 30 electric trains.
Rival train operator Virgin is also looking at offering wireless internet services to passengers. Stations along its west coast route are being Wi-Fi-enabled and Virgin said the next phase will include offering full on-board Wi-Fi.
Comments
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1. Andrew Whitney
Nice one GNER, right idea but wrong execution.
The incremental cost of extending WiFi service to everyone on trains is close to zero, so why spoil it by only offering it to those in first class?
Service quality distinctions only really stand up when they are defensible, otherwise they become a source of resentment. For instance, BA cannot give everyone in economy the same size seat as those in first class on account of space restrictions; the incremental cost makes this a defensible argument and supports a realistic price differential.
However, rumor has it that even the lumpen proletariat use email these days.
Get it out there for everyone, especially when they know the incremental cost is miniscule, and you will have loyal happier customers throughout the train. It's an easy win.
Perhaps then customers will be less likely to complain about the persistently late-running trains, tremendously uncomfortable and dangerous overcrowding, and the phenomenal noise associated with being a GNER passenger from London to Cambridge and beyond.
2. anonymous
Oh dear how sad!
I doubt if most of the communications that people feel impelled to make using this new facility will be any better than the numerous and boring mobile phone conversations that are inflicted on the travelling public.
Surely there is a better use for train companies to spend their money. How about trains that arrive on time?
3. Colleen O'Shea
Brilliant. This is one of the most exciting convergence applications ever. PC-GSM-Satellite. Hurray!