National Express trial coach-based Wi-Fi

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.