Icomera, a provider of cellular broadband gateways, and UK bus and coach operator FirstGroup, have announced the availability of free Wi-Fi internet access on the RailAir coach service linking Heathrow Airport with Reading in the heart of the UK's technology corridor.
The fleet of RailAir coaches has been equipped with the Icomera Moovbox M Series mobile broadband gateway that offers internet access to passengers throughout the 50-minute journey at actual download speeds in excess of two megabits per second. The Moovbox M Series also provides GPS-based vehicle location enabling FirstGroup to track their vehicles in real time. RailAir is a non-stop service operated by First Berkshire with departures from Reading for Heathrow terminals up to every twenty minutes. FirstGroup has approximately 9,000 buses operating in 40 towns and cities across the UK, carrying 3 million passengers every day.
"Technology such as the Icomera Moovbox offers real opportunities for First Berkshire and our passengers," said Chris Dexter, Chief Operating Officer for First in Berkshire. "We carry a high volume of business travellers who appreciate the ability to get online for free during the trip to and from Heathrow Airport. On-board Wi-Fi is a value-add that draws more customers and differentiates our service from those of our competitors. At the same time, the GPS functionality of the Moovbox means we know exactly where our vehicles are at any specific moment, allowing us to monitor our schedule adherence more effectively, and enabling Service Controllers to make decisions with confidence when delays on the motorway affect service."
According to Icomera, usage of Wi-Fi hotspots on public transport has seen significant growth during 2008. Icomera reported over 3.7 million sessions by over one million passengers in the twelve months to October 31st on its in-vehicle Moovbox systems worldwide, a 272% increase over the period.
"Given the passenger demographic, airport bus and coach routes are a natural choice for Wi-Fi services," said Dave Palmer, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Icomera. "Business passengers can get online at no cost and make the best use of their time. More importantly free Wi-Fi is the preferred way to connect while travelling abroad as it avoids high international 3G data roaming charges."
The RailAir deployment is part of a Wi-Fi initiative currently underway at First based on Icomera's Moovbox technology. First Berkshire is in the process of fitting Icomera mobile broadband gateways on the Green Line service that runs between Royal Windsor and Victoria Coach Station in Central London. The Icomera Moovbox has also been deployed in South Wales by First Cymru on the Shuttle100 commuter coach service between Cardiff and Swansea.