Rail mobile internet speeds set to get faster in UK

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page), by Matthew Wall, Technology reporter, BBC News:

The rail industry plans to roll out "high-speed mobile broadband" across the busiest parts of Britain's rail network, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced.

By 2019, 70% of train passengers should have access to the faster technology, the Department for Transport added. Passengers may be able to watch streamed videos on their mobiles, for example, if the plan to raise data capacity per train 25-fold succeeds. The programme will be industry funded.

"Today's announcement marks the beginning of the end of poor coverage on our railways," Mr McLoughlin said.

A Network Rail spokesman added: "As an industry, we recognise that the limited availability of mobile communications on Britain's rail network is not good enough. If rail is to remain a preferred mode of transport, this must be addressed, which is why today's announcement is good news for the millions of people who travel by train each day."

Network Rail is in the middle of a ^1.9bn digital communications improvement programme that is upgrading both its fixed line and mobile infrastructure. A new fibre optic network should be capable of handling up to 192,000 gigabit per second (Gbit/s) of data once the upgrade is complete in June 2014.

The Rail Safety and Standards Board has forecast that the telecommunications demand on Britain's railways could rise to 200Gbit/s by 2018, which would still leave plenty of spare capacity on the upgraded system.

"By increasing the number of mobile phone masts to fill gaps in signal coverage, and incorporating signal boosters inside train carriages, passengers will be able to benefit from our surplus data capacity," a Network Rail spokesman told the BBC.

Currently, train operating companies limit what kinds of material can be downloaded on to mobile devices because each vehicle only has access to 2.5 megabit per second (Mbit/s) of data which must be shared among its passengers. As a result the firms block access to video streaming services such as iPlayer and Netflix.

However, this could rise to 50Mbit/s per train after the upgrade, Network Rail said, allowing a change of policy.

The commercial details of how Network Rail, the mobile phone operators and train operating companies would pay for the additional upgrades, and how much passengers would be charged for high-speed mobile broadband, have yet to be thrashed out.

[grahame]

the plan to raise data capacity per train 25-fold succeeds.

As a mathematician, I'm not impressed by 25 times zero ... still zero.  I hope that this 25 x speed up in the south west is after we get some data access at least on all journeys of over 30 minutes, and isn't based purely on current levels.

[stuving]

As a mathematician,

Rash, that...

I read the "25-fold" bit as relating to the limit of the equipment generally used, which allows it to make sense.

Or it would, except that:
"each vehicle only has access to 2.5 megabit per second (Mbit/s) of data" and say eight vehicles makes 20 Mbit/s,
" this could rise to 50Mbit/s per train", which is only a tenth of that 25-fiold increase.

Underwhelming.

[stuving]

Or it would, except that:
"each vehicle only has access to 2.5 megabit per second (Mbit/s) of data" and say eight vehicles makes 20 Mbit/s,

Of course that may be misleading - if they can't (or don't) currently have more than one equipped vehicle per train.

[grahame]

As a mathematician,

Rash, that...

Indeed ...  "being mathematically inclined" would have been more accurate, but I was dashing by between sorting out ten very bright delegates on the PHP Framework course I'm running, and speed overtook accuracy.

I read the "25-fold" bit as relating to the limit of the equipment generally used, which allows it to make sense.

The words per train were used though, which made it read (to me) as if each train was to have 25 times faster access that [at present?] ... why else use "per train" in the statement?   But I suspect it's sloppy text in the article, and "per train" isn't important unless there's a significant change in the number of trains on the network.

[thetrout]

I'll resist the urge to go off an a technical analysis of this article. However 200GB/s is a frightening thought of available bandwidth. At max capacity that would allow you to shift just over 61 Petabytes of data every month! That works out at roughly 1646GB (1.65TB) Data every single minute!

I do like the articles reference to the the following things:

Passengers may be able to watch streamed videos on their mobiles

The key word there is "may"

I am being very over cynical there and probably reading too much into it. That being said when Myself and ladyfriend trout came back from London Paddington last Monday, I was able to work on my laptop without any Internet Problems at all. Even going as far as using Remote Desktop, VPN and LogMeIn without any bandwidth issues at all. I managed the same on the c2c and GreaterAnglia lines too. Of course there are places with dropouts, Avoncliff certainly being one of them, where no-one can get a signal.

I know where most of the blackspots are and to be honest, I tend not to bother with on-train WiFi with the exception of Voyager and Meridian units which have the unfortunate design flaw of blocking Cell Signals.

A fellow associate of mine who wears a black hat ( <-- IT Techies will know the reference there! ) seems to think it was intentional. Up until I told them that even train staff have to go into "The Rubber Bit" to make a phone call...!

As you can see though in my WiFi Speed Tests in the other thread, Train WiFi is god awful for anything a little more than basic web browsing and e-mails.

I tethered on my 4G Handset just to see if I could play CounterStrike Source online whilst on a Virgin Train... It actually worked!

So, my opinion on trains having WiFi 5 years ago is probably not my opinion now. However just like I said with the London Underground having WiFi and there being not much need. If the technology is there, I do find myself using it.

My only concerns are, that with technology like this, I really it's not installed on the cheap and becomes unreliable. Especially if the fibre is also going to be carrying data essential to the safe running of the railway.

As a completely separate subject I agree with Ladyfriend Trout's Seniors that there is going to be a massive influx of RSI based injuries to peoples Necks where they are glued to their Smart Phones/Tablets etc!

I'll resist the urge to go off an a technical analysis of this article.

Hypocrite!

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'll resist the urge to go off an a technical analysis of this article.
...
Hypocrite!

I'm rather glad to see that you took the bait, hook line and sinker, young trout: I posted that item with you specifically in mind! 

[Brucey]

I streamed off the Chiltern wi-fi last week.  Definitely faster than 2.5mbps as I'm sure they use a 3G backup in certain areas.

Virgin's wi-fi on the other hand.....