A two-month trial of superfast wifi on a Great Western Railway (GWR) train has achieved download speeds of more than 120 megabits per second, faster than many home connections. The technology, developed from Formula One systems, switches between 5G masts and low Earth-orbit satellites to provide near-seamless connectivity.
Only one of GWR's 57 intercity express trains is currently equipped, but a successful trial could lead to wider rollout across the mainline railway by 2030. The system uses several small boxes and antennae on the train roof to connect to the best available network, reducing dropouts.
Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy said the trial would complement government investment in improving mobile connectivity, with £41m set aside for train wifi and low-orbit satellite connections. He noted that the new state-owned Great British Railways would aspire to fast wifi across the entire network, depending on cost and speed of rollout.
The trial is funded by Peninsula Transport, a body representing Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay, at a cost of £300,000. Better connectivity is seen as critical for parts of England with patchy mobile coverage. The system is also being tested on Deutsche Bahn in Germany and Brightline and Amtrak trains in the US.
Businesses have welcomed the trial. Andy Jasper, chief executive of the Eden Project in Cornwall, described GWR trains as his 'travelling office' and said reliable wifi would turn journeys into prime opportunities to get work done. The trial will also track passenger behaviour to assess satellite data requirements for streaming services.
