The Department for Transport (DfT) is to give a keynote presentation at this year’s Wi-Fi on Trains Conference – Train Communications Systems 2019 on 4-5 June.
Nina Gaubert, from the DfT’s Client side for Network Rail Telecom, will discuss ‘The Way Forward for On-Train Connectivity in the UK’.
The presentation, on the first morning of the conference, is set to spark fierce discussion among the train operators, suppliers, network operators and rail administrators gathering from the UK, across Europe and all over the world.
“One of the key features of these conferences, over the past 12 years has been the high-level of debate generated among the people who are currently heavily involved in actually putting Wi-Fi onto trains and battling to improve services and keep customers happy,” claims Ross Parsons, the head of BWCS’s Transportation Consultancy.
BWCS has been at the forefront of this niche industry for years and believes that it is clear that major investment is finally beginning to flow into projects in countries such as India, Korea, France and Germany. For instance, Deutsche Bahn has just announced a €30 million plan to equip its entire intercity fleet with Wi-Fi. All of these will be discussed by the people right at the core of the new services.
The conference will also hear from train companies in other markets such as Denmark, Norway and the UK, where government money is aiding the roll-out of improved on-train Wi-Fi.
“If you are in this business, or thinking of entering it, this is really the conference you should be at,” claims Parsons.
Held on the 4 and 5 June in the elegant Grange City Hotel near Tower Bridge, London, UK, the event has become the annual meeting place for the great and the good in this market.
As ever, BWCS has focused on getting train operators from all over the world to share their real-life stories of putting Wi-Fi onto their trains, fighting to keep the customers happy and struggling to add new services and increase bandwidth.
Highlights for 2019 include:
- Indian Railways will talk about launching a tender to install a 64,000km trackside wireless network and its bid to install Wi-Fi at 7,500 stations across the sub-continent.
- Deutsche Bahn on its new Wi-Fi on Trains plans and upgrading its Intercity fleet.
- Canadian operator VIARail will recount its battle to upgrade on-train Wi-Fi services across North America.
- FirstGroup will talk about its upcoming 5G style network in the UK.
- ETRI on the super-fast connections achieved on the Seoul Metro.
- Leading train operators from around the world will address the conference and discuss the Future for Wireless Connectivity Services to Trains.
However, BWCS warns that places are extremely limited and are selling out fast. To reserve your place now, fill out the enquiry form on this page.