GNER on track for Wi-Fi trains

Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) claims it will be the first UK train operator to offer passengers wireless broadband internet access on the move.

Working with Swedish wireless data communication solutions provider Icomera and UK reseller ISC Computers, GNER will start a three-month free Wi-Fi trial on an East Coast Mainline train running between London King's Cross, Aberdeen and Inverness.

This will allow passengers with Wi-Fi laptops to access internet and email services from anywhere on the train.

After the trial, GNER will assess plans for a roll-out across its entire fleet of refurbished diesel and electric trains.

Mike Blackett, account manager at ISC Computers, said: "We will be providing maintenance support for the servers on the trains."

ISC has also won a £180,000, three-year contract to provide hardware and support maintenance to GNER.

Neil Atkinson, IS customer services manager at GNER, said: "They [ISC] have won the maintenance contract for all of our desktops, laptops, printers and servers in stations, trains and at our regional offices."

GNER is also piloting bluetooth-enabled iPAQ handhelds on certain trains.

Using the iPAQs, train crews can request information on disruptions, delays and changes to departure and arrival times in order to provide better updates to passengers.

"It is proving extremely popular with both crews and passengers," said Atkinson.

GNER is still reviewing which companies will provide iPAQs and Wi-Fi once the trials ended, but confirmed that ISC and Icomera are in the running.