Wednesday, March 9, 2005
T-Mobile Uses WiMax to Offer Net Access for UK trains
Posted by Jonathon Watkins in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 11:00 PM
"T-Mobile has pledged to take its global Wi-Fi hotspot tally to 20,000 sites by the end of the year, including both fixed locations and mobile access points on UK trains connected to the net via WiMax. . . . Getting on board the UK's rail network is particularly interesting, as it represents the first use of a 32Mbps WiMax backbone for the service, currently being trialled on Southern Trains' London to Brighton run. To date, internet access has been connected to on-board Wi-Fi networks through fast satellite links, with slower GPRS connections used as a fall-back when the line of sight between satellite and antenna is blocked."
I like to travel by train whenever I can and am looking forward to being able to connect to the net by Wifi during the journey. Mobile WifiMax access still look to be a few years away, but it's use as a network backbone seems a very smart way to make initial use of the technology. Of course, one day we'll all have universal un-metered 32Mbs feeds directly to our PPCs anyway. ;-) Till then, the goal of sufficiently speedy ubiquitous affordable wireless access remains elusive.
I like to travel by train whenever I can and am looking forward to being able to connect to the net by Wifi during the journey. Mobile WifiMax access still look to be a few years away, but it's use as a network backbone seems a very smart way to make initial use of the technology. Of course, one day we'll all have universal un-metered 32Mbs feeds directly to our PPCs anyway. ;-) Till then, the goal of sufficiently speedy ubiquitous affordable wireless access remains elusive.
