Train operators can no longer afford to be without on-board train WiFi systems, argues Transport and Wireless Consultancy BWCS, who will host a conference on the subject this June.

"The fight for passengers is becoming fiercer, and train companies cannot be left without WiFi which can be an important weapon in this scrap," claims Graham Wilde, CEO of BWCS. "Every single new long-distance competitor in Europe has seen WiFi on board as an important lure for new passengers. This in turn forces incumbents to get their act together and respond" he argues. "Besides helping in the dog-fight for passengers, these new services can also offer a heady combination of new cost-saving applications for the train operators as well as new, income-generating, entertainment services for their passengers."

BWCS, which has worked with many of the leading operators on the development and procurement of WiFi on train services, will host a series of presentations by the leading rail companies on 13-14 June.

Wilde reflected that almost every train operator worth its salt will be at the conference, either presenting or attending. "We feel this is a great opportunity for all of us to learn from their successes and occasional failures, as well as to hear reports on progress from trials of new systems and services straight from the horses’ mouths."

Among those presenting at Train Communications Systems 2012 will be Egypt Rail, Hungarian Rail, Russian Railways, Israeli Rail, Danish Railways, Finnish Rail, NTV Italy, Bay Area Rapid Transit and many more.

Over two days, a combination of interactive workshops, panel sessions, presentations and networking sessions will explore the commercial and technical issues arising from the deployment of train WiFi around the world, as well as other newer applications developed as wireless broadband on trains becomes a reality. Train Communications 2012 will be held in central London on 13-1 June 2012.

The conference is sponsored by Icomera, 21Net, The GBS Group, Nomad Digital and Commscope.

Full details are available on the website www.TrainComms2012.com or e-mail Ross.Parsons@BWCS.com if you have any questions.

To reserve a place, while tickets last (60% of places are already taken) please contact Eileen.Fisher@BWCS.com.