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WiFi on ScotRail at long last

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marks87

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A free wi-fi service is being introduced for passengers travelling on trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

New digital technology, which will allow commuters to access the internet on their phones and laptops, is being trialled as part of a pilot scheme.

The Scottish government has awarded a £250,000 contract to First ScotRail.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17190861

Hopefully it won't take too long to reach the rest of the network.
 
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jopsuk

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Well those four units (170s) are unlikely to be confined to the E-G shuttle service for long. Presumably once any issues with the trial units are sorted, the rest of the 170 fleet should follow quite quickly, and then (one would hope) the other fleets will be worked on.

I was about to say that the alternative to it being four 170s would be one of every class that operates on Edinburgh-Glasgow services, to give a wide range of test-beds, but there's five (not counting EC and XC)- 170s on the fast line via Falkirk, 334s via Bathgate, 156s and 158s via Shotts and the couple of 380 services via Carstairs.
 

Yew

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Do you think we will see a day when most non commuter trains will have wifi?
 

PaxVobiscum

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But will the wifi work when the train is stuck for several minutes in the tunnel on the Cowlairs incline?
 

Zoidberg

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Just an update, from the Edinburgh Evening News at http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-e...oute-welcomes-arrival-of-free-wi-fi-1-2362728

FREE wireless internet has been launched on trains between the Capital and Glasgow as part of a new £250,000 trial.

Passengers will have access to wi-fi on one in every ten journeys between the cities, giving them faster access to e-mail, internet and social media sites while the service is piloted.

If successful, free wi-fi will be rolled out on a permanent basis ...
 

scotsman

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Pax are being asked to fill out a survey whilst using the WiFi. Call me cynical, but methinks FSR is trying to gauge who much they can get away with charging
 

rail-britain

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Pax are being asked to fill out a survey whilst using the WiFi. Call me cynical, but methinks FSR is trying to gauge who much they can get away with charging
http://www.scotrail.co.uk/content/wi-fi-users-survey
There is nothing in the survey about charges and/or what people would be willing to pay
Most TOC charge about the same rate, where they do

It may be useful on some routes
However on Glasgow - Edinburgh with a session being up to about 45 minutes a more appropriate scale of charges would be required
This may see a rail and WiFi inclusive fare launched
 
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Finally found one of these units working the 8:00 EDB-GLQ. Performance wasn't at all bad - not fast, but surprisingly few dead spots. In particular I kept connectivity and acceptable speeds even through Falkirk and Cowlairs tunnels, which was surprising.

IP address says I was on the Nomad network rather than the icomera one - both of which they're trialling. Icomera is I believe the supplier for East Coast, who have the worst wifi I've ever used. But maybe this service will be better, we'll see if I catch one at some point.
 

rail-britain

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IP address says I was on the Nomad network
Assuming this is the same one as West Coast Trains, then I am normally able to stay connected all the way between Glasgow and Euston

When using the Icomera system (assuming East Coast) I often lose connection between Glasgow and Kings Cross
There are also more restrictions (resulting in the East Coast restriction page)
 

Scotrail84

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Finally found one of these units working the 8:00 EDB-GLQ. Performance wasn't at all bad - not fast, but surprisingly few dead spots. In particular I kept connectivity and acceptable speeds even through Falkirk and Cowlairs tunnels, which was surprising.

IP address says I was on the Nomad network rather than the icomera one - both of which they're trialling. Icomera is I believe the supplier for East Coast, who have the worst wifi I've ever used. But maybe this service will be better, we'll see if I catch one at some point.

You get a 3G signal no bother in qst tunnel.
 
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