Göteborg, Sweden, December 11 2013 – Icomera has completed the installation phase of ScotRail’s £2m government funded passenger Wi-Fi project. All 59 of ScotRail’s class 170s have now been fitted with Icomera’s industry-leading X6 routers.
Originally announced in December 2012, the project has been completed three weeks ahead of schedule. Installation work began back in April and the routers have been fitted at a rate of 6-7 trains per month. The Wi-Fi service, which is free to all passengers, is designed to allow fast, reliable access to email, web browsing and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Passenger enthusiasm for the Wi-Fi service is evident in the impressive early usage statistics. In the eight months since the service initially went live, nearly one million users have logged on and 13 terabytes of data have been transferred (13,312 GB). Users are averaging 14.2 MB per visit which equates to approximately 25-30 web pages browsed per session.
Sean Duffy, ScotRail’s Commercial Director, said: “We are pleased the roll-out is complete ahead of schedule, and that so many people are enjoying the free mobile Wi-Fi on board our largest fleet of trains.
“We understand that increasing numbers of customers want to stay connected during their journeys – whether catching up on work emails, shopping online, or chatting with friends on social media.
“To further meet the demand for mobile digital technology, we are rolling out Wi-Fi at more trains and stations in the coming year, and launching an improved mobile website.”
ScotRail said that 37% of traffic to its website now comes from mobile devices, up from 8% just two years ago.
The Wi-Fi project has also been welcomed by business leaders. Speaking at the launch, David Birrell, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: “Many of our Edinburgh-based members do business throughout Scotland which inevitably means some travel to and from meetings.
“Increasing Wi-Fi access on trains will undoubtedly enhance the ability for business people to stay connected and therefore improve productivity during transit. That can only be welcomed.”
Utilising patented SureWAN technology, the Icomera solution has already delivered a quality on-board passenger Wi-Fi experience. Now, having invested in Icomera’s open application and connectivity platform, ScotRail have laid the foundations for further service enhancements and future-proofed their fleet.
About Icomera:
Icomera launched the world’s first high-speed Internet solution for trains in September 2002 and is today the world’s leading provider of open Internet connectivity and application platforms for passenger transport and public safety. Our award-winning products are deployed on rail, road and sea, serving more than 30 million Wi-Fi users in over 26 countries and providing high-speed access for fleet tracking and mission-critical onboard systems.
Established in 1999, Icomera is headquartered in Sweden with offices in the United Kingdom and channel partners worldwide.
