GNER inter city trains to get Wi-Fi by August

[punky]

Linky...

UK rail operator GNER this week said all its East Coast Mainline trains will provide passengers with Wi-Fi internet access this summer.

GNER began trialling on-board Wi-Fi in December 2003 and has since equipped ten of its Mallard-class trains, which run between London King's Cross and Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. This week it said it was accelerating the roll-out, bringing the wireless technology to the rest of the Mallard fleet and to its 13 remaining diesel High Speed Trains.

Originally due to be completed by May 2007, the scheme will now be finished by August this year, GNER pledged.

The company's system, designed by Swedish on-the-move internet access specialist Icomera, uses line-of-sight satellite links for the main connection, with GPRS and 3G mobile phone links as back up and to provide connectivity when trains are in tunnels and covered stations.

Access is offered to First Class passengers free of charge; Standard Class travellers pay £2.95 to £ 9.95 for 30-180 minutes' access.

Sounds great in theory, but given how you are not supposed to use your mobile phone public, would people be willing to whip out their laptops and PDAs to use it?

[bopdude]

Mmmmm, I wonder how long it will take for all the kiddies to roll onto the platform, lappies in hand, looking for a free connection

[Halcyon]

This is good.
I hope they do it to many trains over the UK.
I was in Austria last year and they had tables for laptops, electricity plugs, etc. Very good indeed.

[BBKing]

Why aren't you allowed to use a mobile in public? There are quiet carriages on some trains (which are always ignored in my experience) but the only restrictions are those of etiquette and manners rather than hard rules. Anyway, laptops and PDAs aren't nearly as intrusive as some braying moron on his phone.

Anyway, mobile wifi is a damn good idea, so more power to them, although it's hardly a new development. I'd like to see them try it on Eurostar though! (mostly in tunnel until you get to France!)

Round here, first class on the new (Austrian built) Desiro suburban trains has seat-side plugs. Jolly useful, particularly on lines where it's declassified to Standard.

[Graham M]

Originally Posted by bopdude

Mmmmm, I wonder how long it will take for all the kiddies to roll onto the platform, lappies in hand, looking for a free connection

You will have to authenticate to be able to use the connection or they wouldnt be able to charge for it. And the hardware is on board the trains.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by BBKing

Anyway, mobile wifi is a damn good idea, so more power to them, although it's hardly a new development. I'd like to see them try it on Eurostar though! (mostly in tunnel until you get to France!)

It's possible, but depending on the construction of the tunnel, you may need an awful lot of signal boosters.

One aerial every hundred metres or so should do it. Of course, travelling at the speed the Eurostar trains do, it may be difficult for any WiFi card to lock on to a signal.

Edit: Easier option. Assuming they can get a reliable and fast connection to the train (possibly through the tracks), it would be easier to install a base station in each carriage.

[cookie_365]

There's been wifi access on the Brighton line trains for ages now - you provincials get so excited, don't you?

[punky]

Originally Posted by BBKing

Why aren't you allowed to use a mobile in public?

I didn't say you aren't allowed, its just not good practice to flash hundreds of quids worth of gear around in front of people you don't trust. Its common sense rather than a law. I certainly avoid doing it anyways.

I am apprehensive about using a mobile in public, but I certainly wouldn't want to whip a laptop/PDA out if I could avoid it.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by punky

I am apprehensive about using a mobile in public, but I certainly wouldn't want to whip a laptop/PDA out if I could avoid it.

I travel on the Midland Mainline (to London or up to Manchester) and there are hundreds of people (on the busy trains) with laptops/PDAs and the like out watching DVD's or listening to music. It's all very relaxed and the only trouble on board I've been witness to was a guy flashing a calving knife about when the conductor asked for their ticket. Was soon stamped on by the BTP at Luton though.

The new Midland Mainline Meridians are great with a plug at each seat (even in standard) and really nice wide comfy seats. Shame the engines are under each carriage, but I guess you can't have everything. Saying that, the signal on mobiles is rubbish because of the reflective windows.

Cant find any pictures of the inside of the new Meridians but they really are very nice. They don't suffer from virgin bog syndrome either!

There have been rumors that MM will roll out a similar service soon which would be great.

Edit - found a picture:

[jrhnewark]

GNER continue to impress me - compared to First Great Western, who served Swansea when I was back living there, they're wonderous.

I've no idea how good the service is, but I can't wait to be able to get on any train down to London and know that I can log-on (although £9.95 for an hour and a half is absurd - the quicker it's down to, say, a fiver for your whole journey, the more people they'll get using it).

But, still, very welcome.

[Shaun]

We are pleased to offer WiFi free to all passengers travelling in First Class. Once your laptop has established a connection (see User Guide), you can get online straight away.

Passengers travelling in Standard Class can purchase blocks of internet time for a small fee. The costs are as follows:

30 minutes - £2.95
60 minutes (1 hour) - £4.95
120 minutes (2 hours) - £7.95
180 minutes (3 hours) - £9.95

https://www.gner.co.uk/GNER/MobileOffice/cost.htm

9.95 for 3 hours

[jrhnewark]

Originally Posted by Shaun

https://www.gner.co.uk/GNER/MobileOffice/cost.htm

9.95 for 3 hours

Sorry, my slightly poor maths there.

[punky]

Originally Posted by Shaun

I travel on the Midland Mainline (to London or up to Manchester) and there are hundreds of people (on the busy trains) with laptops/PDAs and the like out watching DVD's or listening to music. It's all very relaxed and the only trouble on board I've been witness to was a guy flashing a calving knife about when the conductor asked for their ticket. Was soon stamped on by the BTP at Luton though.

Well, you don't know how many of those people were followed and then mugged when they were out of the train. Seems far fetched, but my old man was a copper - so I know it happens.

In a way, if there are many people around, its safety in numbers - more witnesses, less chances of escape and potential heros.

Maybe I am a bit paranoid - i've been called it often before... I just find its better to be safe than sorry. If I have to use my mobile on the train or in a street I will if I absolutely have to, I will normally but take precautions. If I listen to my MP3 player I run the cable up the inside of my shirt and run the longer lead around the back of my neck which makes it less visible - things like that.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by punky

Maybe I am a bit paranoid - i've been called it often before...

There's worse things to be called, I guess

Still, very wise to take care of your stuff

[Kliro]

I use my laptop on the train - can't say I've ever had any problems - I even left it plugged in when I went to the toilet.

I have been hoping for wi-fi acess for a while now though.