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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."

4 of 250 comments (clear)

  1. Great by gowen · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If my experience of the London-Brighton line is anything to go by, the money would be much better spent :
    i) installing more seats or adding extra carriages
    ii) actually cleaning the inside of the trains from time to time.

    It's no use getting a WiFi connection if you have to stand up the whole bloody way.

    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
  2. Re:Trains by gowen · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
  3. Three Bridges by phil-trick · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  4. Re:Trains by BenjyD · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My sarcasm detector is off the scale...

    The government subsidy to the railways has just about trebled since privatisation, IIRC. Private enterprise efficiency my arse.

    If you're ever bored on a British train, find a ticket inspector who looks old enough to have been working since before privatisation and ask them if they prefer working for the privatised company.