WiFi hotspot on German high-speed trains

Alexander Turcic · 03-03-2005, 12:05 PM

Deutsche Telekom is collaborating with Deutsche Bahn (DB) to bring high-speed WiFi access to Germany's ICE InterCity Express train. Although perhaps not the same feel like surfing in the sky, it is possible that one or the other person will have a great kick from surfing online at a speed of 300km/h. Details are still kept in the dark; the service with the suspected name "Railnet" will be officially anounced at Cebit 2005 on March 11.

sUnShInE · 03-03-2005, 03:01 PM

Hmm. I actually thought that they had wireless on the Acela. I just checked, and I guess not.

Bummer.

Alexander Turcic · 03-04-2005, 12:11 AM

PocketPCcity has a related story on Pioneer PointShot Wireless, a Canadian company currently operating on-train Wi-Fi trials with three rail operators in North America.

The market opportunity in Europe, meanwhile, where distances are shorter and train travel is a bigger part of the business travel culture, is moving ahead faster. The big news recently was PointShot competitor Icomera, a Swedish company, announcing a $14.5-million deal with the Swedish rail operator SJ. Icomera will put Wi-Fi systems on the company's 85 trains.

"That's a significant chunk of change," Griffin says of the SJ deal. "It gives some idea of the scale of revenue that is possible." The Icomera deal is just "the tip of the iceberg," he adds. The market in Europe is hot. Griffin recently attended a conference in Germany devoted entirely to Wi-Fi on trains.

This articles gives you some hints as to when WiFi may become available on US trains as well.

Colin Dunstan · 03-10-2005, 09:21 AM

Deutsche Telekom's sister company T-Mobile leaves the home market and launches WiMax net access for UK trains. Read more at The Register:

Getting on board the UK's rail network is particularly interesting, as it represents the first use of a 32Mbps WiMax backbone for the service, currently being trialled on Southern Trains' London to Brighton run. To date, internet access has been connected to on-board Wi-Fi networks through fast satellite links, with slower GPRS connections used as a fall-back when the line of sight between satellite and antenna is blocked. T-Mobile says its WiMax-based set-up, designed and installed by Nomad, will maintain high-speed connectivity throughout the journey.

sUnShInE · 03-10-2005, 10:07 PM

That's really weird. Since when is GPRS able to get pick-up when a satellite can't? Like, if you go into a tunnel (or a 'chunnel' ...ha-ha) one would think you have the same limits.

And when I say 'one', I mean me.

Alexander Turcic · 03-11-2005, 07:45 AM

Today's news from Cebit:

DB will start a pilot test of Railnet on the route Köln-Dortmund in fall 2005. It is expected that Railnet will be offered on all high-speed trains in Germany by 2006.

sUnShInE · 03-11-2005, 10:51 AM

That's alot of black suits.

Alexander Turcic · 03-11-2005, 11:02 AM

We've a lot of penguins in Germany

03-03-2005, 12:05 PM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	WiFi hotspot on German high-speed trains Deutsche Telekom is collaborating with Deutsche Bahn (DB) to bring high-speed WiFi access to Germany's ICE InterCity Express train. Although perhaps not the same feel like surfing in the sky, it is possible that one or the other person will have a great kick from surfing online at a speed of 300km/h. Details are still kept in the dark; the service with the suspected name "Railnet" will be officially anounced at Cebit 2005 on March 11.

03-11-2005, 07:45 AM	#6
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Today's news from Cebit: DB will start a pilot test of Railnet on the route Köln-Dortmund in fall 2005. It is expected that Railnet will be offered on all high-speed trains in Germany by 2006. Attached Thumbnails

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03-03-2005, 03:01 PM	#2
sUnShInE Drama Queen Posts: 784 Karma: 11712 Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: United States Device: Palm Tungsten T\|T3	Hmm. I actually thought that they had wireless on the Acela. I just checked, and I guess not. Bummer.

03-04-2005, 12:11 AM	#3
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	PocketPCcity has a related story on Pioneer PointShot Wireless, a Canadian company currently operating on-train Wi-Fi trials with three rail operators in North America. The market opportunity in Europe, meanwhile, where distances are shorter and train travel is a bigger part of the business travel culture, is moving ahead faster. The big news recently was PointShot competitor Icomera, a Swedish company, announcing a $14.5-million deal with the Swedish rail operator SJ. Icomera will put Wi-Fi systems on the company's 85 trains. "That's a significant chunk of change," Griffin says of the SJ deal. "It gives some idea of the scale of revenue that is possible." The Icomera deal is just "the tip of the iceberg," he adds. The market in Europe is hot. Griffin recently attended a conference in Germany devoted entirely to Wi-Fi on trains. This articles gives you some hints as to when WiFi may become available on US trains as well.

03-10-2005, 09:21 AM	#4
Colin Dunstan Is papyrophobic! Posts: 1,926 Karma: 1009999 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Device: Dell Axim	Deutsche Telekom's sister company T-Mobile leaves the home market and launches WiMax net access for UK trains. Read more at The Register: Getting on board the UK's rail network is particularly interesting, as it represents the first use of a 32Mbps WiMax backbone for the service, currently being trialled on Southern Trains' London to Brighton run. To date, internet access has been connected to on-board Wi-Fi networks through fast satellite links, with slower GPRS connections used as a fall-back when the line of sight between satellite and antenna is blocked. T-Mobile says its WiMax-based set-up, designed and installed by Nomad, will maintain high-speed connectivity throughout the journey.

03-10-2005, 10:07 PM	#5
sUnShInE Drama Queen Posts: 784 Karma: 11712 Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: United States Device: Palm Tungsten T\|T3	That's really weird. Since when is GPRS able to get pick-up when a satellite can't? Like, if you go into a tunnel (or a 'chunnel' ...ha-ha) one would think you have the same limits. And when I say 'one', I mean me.

03-11-2005, 10:51 AM	#7
sUnShInE Drama Queen Posts: 784 Karma: 11712 Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: United States Device: Palm Tungsten T\|T3	That's alot of black suits.

03-11-2005, 11:02 AM	#8
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	We've a lot of penguins in Germany

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