WiMax Hits 100 mph on Rails to Brighton

judgecorp writes "T-Mobile has put a Wi-Fi service on the London to Brighton Express commuter service. It uses WiMax (ok, pre-WiMax) for the uplink, and is cheap enough to put on any other long-distance rail service. One interesting thing is that they didn't need to wait for next year's "mobile" WiMax version: the system can handover between base stations at 100mph, using today's pre-WiMax (802.16d) products. The only drawback - in June the free trial ends, and we'll have to pay T-Mobile's high Wi-Fi charges."

Comments

Trains

[Anonymous Coward]

High charges? On the British rail network?

NEVER!!!

Re:Trains

[gowen]

There is no British Rail network. It got broken up and sold off 15 years ago.

And, of course, since private enterprise is always much more efficient than public ownership, that's why today the railways are now safe, clean, cheap and reliable.

Re:Trains

[Juice2504]

Now if I only had some mod points, thats the funniest thing I've read in a long time.

Re:Trains

[Anonymous Coward]

Its just rather unfortunate that none of the staff know what that ticket is, nor how much it costs.

And it often takes longer to buy the ticket than to make the journey (eg Finsbury Park to Welwyn Garden City - 30 minutes queue for ticket, 30 minutes journey time - if the wind is blowing the right way, and the driver was not abducted by aliens.)

---
Ohh, the diodes in my left leg ...

100 mph?

[The New Andy]

Call me once they get it working on those German trains that Einstein used to ride to work - the ones travelling near the speed of light.

In a battle between WiMax and Doppler shift, I'm putting my money on Doppler.

How queer...

[Sirch]

"The Brighton Express is an apt place for a pioneering Wi-Fi service, given Brighton's role as a high-tech media-savvy remote suburb of London"

Since when has Brighton been a "high-tech media-savvy remote suburb of London"? As far as I'm aware, the only thing Brighton's particularly renowned (infamous) for is its status as the UK's San Francisco...

Re:How queer...

[gowen]

Damn right. Everyone knows that Brighton is a suburb of Hove, actually.

100mph?

[gallondr00nk]

Never mind the wi-fi, I'm impressed by the fact that a UK train reached 100mph in the first place.

Re:100mph?

[Tx]

UK trains have no problem going fast, it's avoiding other trains that's a problem.

Re:Demand should lead supply

[pklong]

Bah ha ha ha. That would involve someone other than Branson buying new trains (not that it's improved service. Bransons 15 minutes off the journey doesn't help you when your journey is an hour late. Like on Saturday, and the seats are uncomfortable as well.).

Besides the rust holes on the roof improve the WiMax signal reception.

I've recently figured out why the South East is sticking to the ancient third rail system in use, despite the low maximum speed possible using it. It's so when we finally become a fully fledged third world country people will be able to ride on the roof of trains, just like you see in travel documentaries.

Three Bridges

[phil-trick]

Great, now I can stand on the platform at Three Bridges and get WiFi access for free for a few seco...

Re:Demand should lead supply

[pklong]

Yes. They would be very effective at pushing up the revenue per passenger if you put all the second class travellers on the roof.

It would be ironic...

[DigiShaman]

It would be rather ironic if VOIP sounds better using a WiFi connection then it does using standard cell networks.

Can you hear me? Now....now...how bout now? Wait just a sec, let me fire up Skype mobile. Ahhhh...much better. :)