As expectation levels regarding staying connected on the move continue to rise, so does the demand for operators to provide exciting new solutions for their passengers. In our latest article, we examine some of the recent trends driving the Passenger Wi-Fi boom and how transport operators can keep ahead of the competition.
The Continuing Growth of Passenger Wi-Fi
Whether it’s browsing websites, shopping online, searching for information or connecting with others, people increasingly rely on the Internet for both their work and social life.
The latest Figures from Ericsson show global mobile data consumption has increased by 79 percent between Q3 2017 and Q3 2018—the highest growth rate since 2013. Icomera is experiencing this trend first-hand, having more than doubled data delivery to its customers in the last three years, and it doesn’t expect to see this slow down anytime soon.
The opportunity to increase productivity while traveling is making public transport usage more attractive for business and leisure travel. With the possibility to send emails, take part in conference calls and research information for business tasks, commuters can continue to work beyond the confines of the office space. Leisure passengers are able to communicate with friends and family via social media, shop online, catch-up with the latest news, or even learn a new language. Many travellers are also using their morning and evening commute to carry out digital chores such as paying bills, renewing insurance policies and searching for new properties or jobs.
An Essential Offering
It’s important to note here that an onboard multi-SIM Wi-Fi solution will always offer a more reliable Internet experience than forcing a passenger to rely on their own smart device’s cellular network connection. One reason is that passenger’s devices usually rely on a single network’s coverage. Not all networks will be able to guarantee comprehensive coverage along all routes, which is why it’s advantageous to use an onboard Internet solution that can intelligently utilise the signals of multiple networks. Moreover, whilst many phones have 3G/4G cellular data, the majority of tablets and laptops do not, so these will still rely on Wi-Fi being offered.
Being ahead of the curve in this respect can be a big competitive advantage for operators over other forms of transport; especially on longer-distance routes where services like Wi-Fi can win over passengers from competing operators or modes of transport.
Icomera’s in-vehicle cellular routers utilise patented software for combining multiple networks to provide the fastest, most reliable connection available for passengers. Our customers have publicly reported increased ridership and revenue and attributed these to the improved passenger experience on offer.
Another advantage of using an onboard Wi-Fi solution is the ability to manage your passengers’ experience so that everyone can enjoy using the service. Icomera supports operators with a powerful, web-based management system which provides Wi-Fi user authentication, content filtering and bandwidth statistics reporting, backed by a 24/7 service desk.
Get in Touch
Having installed services on tens of thousands of buses, coaches, trams and trains globally, and with an average of almost one million passengers connecting to its onboard Wi-Fi networks every day, Icomera is a market-leader in delivering fast and reliable wireless Internet connectivity solutions for mass transit.
We like to work in partnership with our customers to build long-term digital partnerships. We will listen to your needs and advise you on the best way of achieving a solution that fits your requirements, with room to grow in the future.
To find out more on Icomera’s Passenger Wi-Fi solutions, contact [email protected]today.
