National Express has launched a trial wireless access
systems on its coaches travelling between between London and
Cambridge.
Customers can now use broadband internet via their Wi-Fi enabled
laptops, PDAs and other handheld devices.
Each coach on the route will carry Telabria's mSystem
MobilAP-3G, a multi-radio system that combines an 802.11b/g access
point with 3G data network access.
Passengers on vehicles equipped with the MobilAP-3G can check
e-mail and surf the web over Wi-Fi at speeds up to 300kbps wherever
there is 3G network coverage.
More than 90% of all notebooks now ship with integrated wireless
support, and it is estimated that 3G data coverage between the
leading network operators is available to over 60% of the UK
population, with GPRS data coverage extending to over 95%.
The National Express trial provides internet access to
passengers free of charge, but the mSystem MobilAP-3G offers
integrated support for user authentication and billing, so other
operators will be able to charge for access.
