NEWS
Virgin Trains is planning to roll out wireless broadband internet access for passengers on its west coast and cross-country franchise services following a successful pilot of the technology last year.
The main routes that will be equipped with internet access first are the west coast services including London to Birmingham, London to Manchester and London to Liverpool.
The rail company is currently inviting expressions of interest from suppliers before a full tender for the contract to provide "continuous connectivity" and "broadband level of speed" on its trains.
The service will allow customers to access company networks and emails as well as doubtless offering Virgin-related entertainment services including movie and audio downloads.
Wi-fi operator Broadroach has already been working with Virgin Trains on a pilot project that saw wireless hotspots installed at 20 stations along Virgin's west coast line as well as wireless connectivity built into the company's high-speed tilting Pendolino carriages.
A spokesman for Virgin Trains told silicon.com the trial has gone well and that on-board high-speed internet access will be available for passengers sometime in the next 12 to 18 months
He said: "We have been running a trial which has proved very successful."
East coast mainline rail operator GNER has also started to offer broadband internet access for first class passengers on its London to Edinburgh route and said last year that it plans to equip every train in its fleet with a wireless data communications system.
Comments
There are 5 comments. Join the discussion
1. pete jones
Nice idea although with my experience of travelling to bristol they would be better of using there time to work out how to provide enough seating for the passengers that want to travel.
2. John Long
This is prize!
I wonder if Virgin has any intention of remedying a far more serious problem for many of us that use (or used to use) Virgin Cross Country, especially on business.
Our mobile phones no longer work properly since the swish Voyager trains were introduced. These trains attenuate mobile phone signals drastically making it impossible to make or receive calls, or to hook up on GPRS, unless the train is in an area of very high signal strength. We've measured it.
This, added to the almost universal overcrowding on these shorter trains (not to mention the timekeeping) has stopped us travelling Virgin XC on business from our base in Basingstoke.
The problem is easily solved from a technical point of view. It's purely a question of money versus quality of service for the customer - which is zilch at present.
It seems that so long people are crammed in and standing all the way from Birmingham to Reading, Mr Branson doesn't give a fig.
3. anonymous
Nice idea - it will be interesting to see if they charge silly money like most wi-fi in this country.
On a slightly different note - there is a reason why the trains are short - the shorter the trains, the less they have to pay network rail.
4. anonymous
the reason that we have short trains is that most local stations have short platforms
5. anonymous
Funny, according to the Broareach website they have only got wifi in 5 virgin lounges not 20. A slight disparity!
Also if they have wireless on pendolinos as mentioned why are Virgin not shouting about it on their website?
Something doesnt sound right.
Why dont Virgin just go to GNER's supplier and get a working system fitted?
I've been waiting for wifi on my train for 2 years now since it was announced it was coming. Whats the hold up?