Going to use the WCML as the example here as I know the route the best.
What is going on with providing better data coverage on these routes? In the franchise commitment Virgin Trains said they would provide free wifi powered by 4G, announced in June 2014, but have posted no news beyond tweets saying it is due to lack of lineside facilities by NR.
This must have one of the best economic cost:benefit ratio. I can work really well on the train (assuming I have a seat, but that's a different story), if I have usable wifi, 3g or 4g. For at least half the route on Vodafone that isn't the story. To use DfTs value of time working it looks like £30/hr is a rough figure. Times that by passengers, and a %age that are there on business and 2 hours and it quickly becomes £100millions+.
AFIAK Network Rail have fibre optic deployed down all the routes, and there is power. These are by far the hardest things to get installed to get base stations in.
What is going on here? What is the huge holdup? This should be a huge priority for NR, it seems like very low hanging fruit in terms of benefit vs something like HS2.
What is going on with providing better data coverage on these routes? In the franchise commitment Virgin Trains said they would provide free wifi powered by 4G, announced in June 2014, but have posted no news beyond tweets saying it is due to lack of lineside facilities by NR.
This must have one of the best economic cost:benefit ratio. I can work really well on the train (assuming I have a seat, but that's a different story), if I have usable wifi, 3g or 4g. For at least half the route on Vodafone that isn't the story. To use DfTs value of time working it looks like £30/hr is a rough figure. Times that by passengers, and a %age that are there on business and 2 hours and it quickly becomes £100millions+.
AFIAK Network Rail have fibre optic deployed down all the routes, and there is power. These are by far the hardest things to get installed to get base stations in.
What is going on here? What is the huge holdup? This should be a huge priority for NR, it seems like very low hanging fruit in terms of benefit vs something like HS2.