Published on: Tuesday, 7 April 2020
Last updated: Tuesday, 7 April 2020
The free WiFi on Greater Anglia’s fleet of new trains is now even faster thanks to an upgrade.
The train operator has worked with its provider to increase the bandwidth on the new Stadler trains which operate on regional routes in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, the Norwich – London mainline and will be running Stansted Express services.
Before the coronavirus outbreak, Greater Anglia recorded an increase in the number of people using the WiFi on these trains.
Himesh Patel, Head of Greater Anglia’s IT Service Delivery team, said, "The reliability of the WiFi on our new train fleet is much better than on our old fleet, so more people will be using it to work, use social media or stream while they’re travelling with us.
"To ensure that they still enjoy fast browsing speeds, we’ve increased the bandwidth to ensure it keeps pace with demand and delivers a good experience."
Bandwidth refers to the amount of data that can be downloaded or uploaded, measured in bits per second.
As the number of users increases, this can cause browsing to run more slowly. By increasing the available bandwidth, Greater Anglia is ensuring that its customers can still enjoy faster internet connections, without the frustration of delays and buffering.
Greater Anglia offers free on-board WiFi to help commuters enjoy more productive travel time and reduce personal data charges.
The on-board wi-fi can be connected to by selecting it in a device’s WiFi settings, then opening a web browser to sign in.
Greater Anglia’s new Stadler trains have more seats, USB and plug points, free fast WiFi, air conditioning, better passenger information screens and improved accessibility including a retractable step at every door which bridges the gap between the train and the platform, making it easier to get on and off with a wheelchair, buggy or heavy luggage.
Those on the company’s regional routes are ‘bi-modes’, which are powered by diesel and electricity. They are much greener than Greater Anglia’s old diesel trains, with lower emissions, and modern brakes which release less brake dust into the environment.