Anyone know when the WiFi upgrade will be complete? http://nomad-digital.com/nomad-provides-passenger-wifi-upgrade-virgin-trains/ mentions the summer, but anyone know more specifically?
Well was on one in First yesterday, absolute crud. Phone kept disconnecting 'this network is too slow' - and when it did connect it was pathetically slow just at email / facebook. Imagine if you paid for it
I regularly use XC Wi-Fi and today for the first time used Virgin Trains Wi-Fi. Virgin are definitely several steps ahead of XC.
Strange that, I've used FGWs WiFi on several occasions in the past few weeks and it's been fine for most things like Facebook, email, Skype, some forums, etc. I didn't use Virgin's when I was on a WC service a couple of weeks back to be able to compare to theirs, but comparing it to SWTs WiFi on the 444s it's pretty much the same experience, although logging in to FGWs seems easier than SWT!I tried wifi on a FGW HST last Monday, I guess it's still under test or something right now as it's barely any use at present being so slow, Virgins was better
there doesn't seem to be any advertising on FGWs services that WiFi is available; perhaps this will be coming with the new livery refurb.
I think the planned work by Network Rail should be the best solution, as even the roll out of 800MHz LTE nationwide isn't necessarily going to mean blanket coverage for rail, or even the speeds people want.
After all, 800MHz isn't going to offer the same speeds as 1800, 2600 or the even higher frequencies that will be auctioned in the coming years.
The best train system was the WiMax based offering used by Southern, but that required ground based sites every mile or so and obviously limited the areas where the trains could offer the service, but it did mean coverage could even penetrate tunnels and offer blanket coverage. But WiMax never took off, and it wasn't ever likely to be something anyone would fund on all lines, or to provide the necessary backhaul connections and upgrades to keep the speeds up as demand increased.
Modifying trains to offer better reception inside is one solution, but that's also very expensive. It's ironic that Vodafone is so poor in rural areas, at least until the sites are upgraded (so many rural sites have such poor backhaul, and Vodafone seems to be taking ages to get fibre to the sites to add 4G and improve existing 2G and 3G speeds), and has invested in these modifications. Perhaps there was some value in a proof-of-concept for the companies providing the equipment, or a grant or other investment that Vodafone could secure?
For now, even on a 390, I can usually get a pretty good data signal on EE or Three, so it's not too bad. In 18-24 months, Vodafone and O2 should have improved immensely too, and by then we might be nearing the time that Network Rail can start to offer these networks access to its sites to provide LTE to fill in the blanks.
Recent work on 221s seems to have seen the WiFi in coach D made payable - is there a switch or do passengers get a given a free code?
Virgin don't use coach D as First Class anymore, as far as I know - two of the northbound Chester trains which used to have two First coaches now only use coach E
They have been saying this for ages and the summer has been and gone and the wifi is still a shambles, I use VTWC a lot and I've now given up with the wifi it just boots you off and it's utterly slow yet Virgin are still happily charging over the odds for us to use the wifi...Anyone know when the WiFi upgrade will be complete? http://nomad-digital.com/nomad-provides-passenger-wifi-upgrade-virgin-trains/ mentions the summer, but anyone know more specifically?
They have been saying this for ages and the summer has been and gone and the wifi is still a shambles, I use VTWC a lot and I've now given up with the wifi it just boots you off and it's utterly slow yet Virgin are still happily charging over the odds for us to use the wifi...
At the moment around 70% of the rail network is covered by 4G networks that can be piggybacked to provide Wi-Fi broadband, where this isn't possible train operators have to fall back on carrying satellite uplinks as on board the Pendolino.
Totally agree. I am a regular traveller on VTWC, usually in First where the Wi Fi is free but the signal is appalling. I've experimented a bit on various journeys and found the Wi Fi is actually slower than the normal 3G signal. The problem is there are large lengths of line, particularly in Staffordshire were there is no 3G.
I thought there was some plan to put transmitter/receivers on the pylons holding up the knitting. Has anything come of that? On the Virgin site when you log in, there is a message saying they know the WiFi is not good and that they are working to improve it. I think that message has been there for at least two years.