Skip to main content

Queensland providing free Wi-Fi on city trains

In an Australian first, free wireless internet technology will be rolled out on all new Queensland Rail city trains from later this year. The announcement follows a successful Wi-Fi trial and the Queensland government will now spend AU$6.5 million (US$6.98 million) installing the technology in new trains. "The trial has been a huge success, the technology has been installed and is now fully operational on the test-train with customers able to sit, back and take advantage of the free internet on their journe
March 23, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
In an Australian first, free wireless internet technology will be rolled out on all new 4227 Queensland Rail city trains from later this year. The announcement follows a successful Wi-Fi trial and the Queensland government will now spend AU$6.5 million (US$6.98 million) installing the technology in new trains.

"The trial has been a huge success, the technology has been installed and is now fully operational on the test-train with customers able to sit, back and take advantage of the free internet on their journey to and from work" said transport minister Annastacia Palaszczuk. "Installation on the first of 64 new trains will begin in October and we're expecting to have Wi-Fi installed across the entire 160 and 260 series fleet by the end of next year.

According to Queensland Rail CEO Paul Scurrah, "This project isn't only about free internet for our customers, but it also increases our security capacity by allowing live streaming from our CCTV cameras on board the Wi-Fi trains.

The Wi-Fi trial started late last year on one train which travelled across the City network. The trial included tests of 3G coverage capability of internet and CCTV live streaming. There was an average of 228 weekly users on the test train, with more than 5,000 in total during the trial.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Connected vehicle trials get big backing from USDOT
    March 14, 2016
    Connected vehicle technology will emerge as a sustainable reality at three sites in the US over the next four years. Jon Masters reports. Advocates of connected vehicle (CV) technology have received a welcome boost from news that the US government has committed a further $4 billion towards automated vehicle research and CV technology. This comes hot on the heels of the US Department of Transportation’s $42 million CV pilot pledge in October last year.
  • Cellular communications drive the way forward for tolling
    January 18, 2012
    For more than 20 years prior to joining the ITS industry, Mike Payne of Idris, part of Federal Signal Technologies, worked for Vodafone - the world's biggest mobile operator. Here, he considers how the road tolling sector can grow and learn from the cellular industry. The global cellphone has been one of the most successful collaborative technology projects in the last 30 years. Mobile phone technology developed throughout the 20th century with the first public service in the early 70s. This was followed by
  • Liverpool City Region Bus Alliance agreement signed
    October 4, 2016
    UK public transport operators Arriva, Stagecoach and Merseytravel have signed a new agreement that will deliver more than US$32 million (£25 million) worth of investment in Liverpool’s bus services in year one of the five year partnership. The Liverpool City Region Bus Alliance will provide the region with improved, more efficient, joined-up and better value services. The agreement also sees a commitment from operators to provide modern bus fleets with an average age of no more than seven years. Pas
  • ITS Australia Awards 2024: the winners!
    February 16, 2024
    15th annual ITS Australia Awards in Brisbane reflected end-user safety and industry collaboration