Train mobile coverage, now free Wi-Fi?
Commuters on trains on the City Circle Line are now enjoying underground mobile phone coverage under the State Government’s network infrastructure upgrade, raising renewed calls for the introduction of free Wi-Fi on the service.
The 10 kilometres of cabling will allow train costumers to receive calls, texts and access the Internet through 3G on smartphones, laptops and tablets.
NSW Minister for Transport Gladys Berekjiklian said connection drop out was now a thing of the past.
“[This] announcement means customers can stay connected with friends, family or work while they travel through the City Circle without their calls or connection dropping out in tunnels, which has long been a problem in the past,” she said.
The improvement to the network infrastructure raises the question of whether free wireless internet will be implemented on the train system. Last year inner city trains in Brisbane received free Wi-Fi. The service is straightforward, with 20MB of data allocation to each commuter.
Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber Patricia Forsythe said Sydney should follow Brisbane’s example. “The Sydney Business Chamber would also argue that there is a case for the Sydney CBD to be provided with Wi-Fi coverage to improve the city’s connectivity and productivity,” she said.
Co-convener of the public transport advocacy group EcoTransit, Gavin Gatenby, said Wi-Fi is the way of the future.
“Wi-Fi is really a more turbo charged version of mobile coverage. It really extends the range of things you can do on a train and I think that’s a good thing.”
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said in a statement: “Transport for NSW and our operators are committed to providing modern transport for all customers as well as tools that improve accessibility to information services that contribute to a more enjoyable customer journey.”
The spokesperson did not broach the possibility of free Wi-Fi on Sydney trains.
Uninterrupted mobile reception on Sydney’s train system is a work in progress. Last year reception was improved on the North Shore and Western Lines between Central and Chatswood. 18 kilometres of cabling is currently being fitted between Erskineville and Bondi Junction on the Eastern Suburbs Line.
Ms Forsythe said the reception rollout would make catching the train more attractive.
“Internet and mobile phone coverage is the lifeblood of modern commerce. This has been a good initiative of the Minister for Transport to make public transport more attractive especially for short trips from station to station around the City Circle,” she said.
Mr Gatenby said mobile reception and internet access would get commuters out of cars and into trains.
“It’s great to have coverage through the system, while you are sitting on the train on your regular journey you can access your emails and stay in touch with the outside world. It is making public transport more attractive because it means it’s not dead time, sitting on the train,” he said.
