QinetiQ Rail, part of the former UK national defence laboratory says that it has deployed a multi-bearer wireless Internet system on a fully operational train in the UK. A trial of QinetiQ Rail's Connected Carriage system is set to commence with Virgin Trains following its successful installation on a Pendolino train.
The Connected Carriage system delivers the best possible end-user experience by combining multiple Wide Area Network (WAN) technologies including bi-directional satellite and WiMAX. The specification delivered to Virgin Trains combines WiMAX, satellite, Wi-Fi and cellular which can provide national coverage to a moving train with a continuous high-speed connection at up to 49 megabits per second (MBPS).
Virgin Trains has issued an Invitation to Tender with a view to introducing a wireless Internet service on all its 131 Pendolino and Voyager/Super Voyager trains.
Magnus McEwen-King, CEO of QinetiQ Rail Limited said: "This is the first time anyone has actually established a train-to-shore link which combines all these technologies on a train at speeds in excess of 200kph. By combining multiple WAN technologies including bi-directional satellite and WiMAX, QinetiQ Rail has achieved a number of impressive technical firsts, including the first UK installation of a bi-directional satellite communications system on a fully operational train. The Connected Carriage is designed to allow rail passengers to access the Internet, send and receive email, view video clips, download games and access real-time location and timetable information while they travel. We are delighted to have achieved this milestone by installing Connected Carriage on the Virgin Pendolino, a train with a number of impressive firsts already to its credit."
QinetiQ Rail has installed Wi-Fi hotspots in each carriage of the Pendolino train to provide Wi-Fi coverage at every seat. These are supported by a Local Area Network (LAN) along the entire length of the train which has the potential to be used for on-board communications, video surveillance and train monitoring. An on-board server caches web content and outgoing emails, and is capable of storing rich media content (such as audio channels, music clips and games for download) for immediate access by passengers.
Several external antenna have been installed on the roof of the train which use WiMAX, satellite, Wi-Fi and cellular technology to maintain a continuous high-speed connection between the train and the Internet. QinetiQ Rail uses a smart router to continuously monitor the performance of the various train-to-shore links. The router decides second-by-second which combination of WiMAX, satellite, Wi-Fi and cellular to use to deliver the best possible experience for the end-user."
Posted to the site on 30th June 2006
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