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Title: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Chris from Nailsea on February 20, 2012, 12:02:26 From a FGW press release:
Quote First Great Western is enhancing 23 stations with the addition of free WiFi access. The WiFi is facilitated by UK public access WiFi provider, The Cloud, and will be available on station platforms, concourses and in waiting rooms. The installations planned for March 2012, will introduce WiFi to 13 stations across First Great Western routes ^ including Oxford, Ealing Broadway and Maidenhead ^ with a network that will provide a fast internet connection, allowing customers to get online for travel information, reliable email access, and media streaming. A revamp of existing Cloud WiFi installations is also planned for 10 further stations including Bristol, Reading and Bath. First Great Western Station Contracts Manager Robert Jackson, said: ^Travellers now expect to be able to access the internet wherever they are, especially to pass the time during their commutes. The popularity of WiFi ^ as seen in stations with existing connectivity ^ made the decision to expand and upgrade a very easy one to make.^ ^This deal with The Cloud enhances the WiFi network at those stations and extends it across many other busy stations, improving the service we provide to millions of passengers every year.^ Vince Russell, managing director at The Cloud, said: ^Millions of people received smartphones, tablets and e-readers for Christmas and will want to make the most of them on their commute. WiFi provides an excellent and consistent connection which, as many travellers will recognise, is not always possible when travelling across the country. This new deal with First Great Western will mean millions of extra travellers will benefit from The Cloud^s WiFi service.^ Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Phil on February 20, 2012, 13:19:47 From a FGW press release: Quote ^Millions of people received smartphones, tablets and e-readers for Christmas and will want to make the most of them on their commute... This new deal with First Great Western will mean millions of extra travellers will benefit from The Cloud^s WiFi service.^ Another quote, this time received on every O2 Smart-phone in recent days: Quote "From 1 February 2012 The Cloud wifi won't be part of your unlimited wifi anymore. You can still use BT Openzone as usual. Go to o2.co.uk/wifichanges to make sure you are ready." Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: tramway on February 20, 2012, 16:18:52 Which has completely ruined my visits to weatherspoons, :-X well almost.
You also have the choice of the new O2 wifi hotspots, of which there are 2 in Bristol and 1 in Bath. Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: JayMac on February 20, 2012, 16:31:53 From a FGW press release: Quote ^Travellers now expect to be able to access the internet wherever they are..." But not on an FGW train. One wonders whether the new franchise will specify WiFi on the HSTs? I think that it is unlikely the DfT will be so prescriptive, as new rolling stock will be entering service in 2017, but there may be a case for the bidders to consider WiFi across the fleet, including the cascaded electric stock to the Thames Valley and the Class 158s, as an added value to their franchise bids. I may just have upgraded my dumbphone for a smart one by then. Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: devon_metro on February 20, 2012, 17:14:43 I personally have never used a station wifi, find that at most major stations the 3G network will be considerably faster and I don't need to log in!
Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: chrisoates on February 21, 2012, 01:14:50 I personally have never used a station wifi, find that at most major stations the 3G network will be considerably faster and I don't need to log in! I've got unlimited Internet on my phone using GiffGaff and WiFi at a station would only be of use if it were underground or they paid me to use it. On a train might be useful if the signal was good. Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: inspector_blakey on February 21, 2012, 01:21:18 I think one of the arguments for not providing wifi is that it may have had its day in some respects: there's a very strong trend towards smartphones or laptops with mobile internet through a 3G or 4G service and just a few luddites like me who don't have a phone with a data plan. Yet... ;)
Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: JayMac on February 21, 2012, 01:29:39 Luddite? I don't even have a mobile phone with a colour screen, wap, camera, MP3.... Heck, I can't even play 'Snake' on my current mobile.
Am considering upgrading though. Undecided yet whether to go for the camera phone this time round: (http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bignosemac/pic241643sa_1a.jpg) Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: BerkshireBugsy on February 21, 2012, 06:33:41 I think one of the arguments for not providing wifi is that it may have had its day in some respects: there's a very strong trend towards smartphones or laptops with mobile internet through a 3G or 4G service and just a few luddites like me who don't have a phone with a data plan. Yet... ;) I've been on some east coast services which boast free wifi but found it very slow (probably because all my fellow pax were trying to use my bandwidth,) so my preference is to keep an eye on my 3G data usage Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: 6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01 on February 21, 2012, 20:29:40 Funny how O2 stopped us using the cloud after they ended unlimited data tariffs !
Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Surrey 455 on February 21, 2012, 23:01:44 Which has completely ruined my visits to weatherspoons, :-X well almost You don't have to be an O2 customer to use The Cloud wifi. It's free to everyone but you have to log in.I personally have never used a station wifi, find that at most major stations the 3G network will be considerably faster and I don't need to log in! Agreed. I get free internet on my contract for about ^12-15 per month. I didn't realize this at first so used to log on to the Cloud at coffee bars, pubs and even Mcdonalds. It's annoying having to log in before you can use it and as I now know I can use 3G for free I find it's often quicker than the wifi connection in bars, but not as quick as my wifi at home. Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: IndustryInsider on February 22, 2012, 00:09:49 Funny how O2 stopped us using the cloud after they ended unlimited data tariffs ! Though o2's free wi-fi service (free for anybody when you register) aims to have thousands of hotspots by the end of the year, and 14000 of them by the end of next year. http://o2wifi.co.uk/my/about (http://o2wifi.co.uk/my/about) Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: JayMac on February 22, 2012, 00:17:51 And one important benefit of WiFi. It doesn't eat into your data allowance.
Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: devon_metro on February 22, 2012, 00:21:22 And one important benefit of WiFi. It doesn't eat into your data allowance. Nor does viewing webpages or viewing emails. It's only downloading attachments/files/viewing videos etc. that actually count towards your data allowance. (at least that's how I understand it works, mine is unlimited regardless :D) Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Btline on February 22, 2012, 12:47:39 I wish there was just one, free, Wifi provider. All these companies should team up, and half the UK could have free WiFI access!
Even BT, let people turn their routers into hotspots; in return, you can connect to other peoples' BT routers. I'm sick of companies that charge goodness knows what for the service. Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: JayMac on February 22, 2012, 13:14:04 Providing the hardware, backend and support all cost money though Btline. Some WiFi providers do offer free connection as an added value to their main business. Coffee shops, pubs, trains (1st Class) etc, all offer free WiFi. Some municipal/community areas also have free local WiFi networks.
Whilst all free at the point of use, there is still a cost to be met by the service provider. That is recouped in other ways such as increased patronage, local rates, or factored in to the price of goods or services sold as the main part of their business. As for BT's home hotspots. Less said about them the better. Bandwidth and fair use policy often come in to play when you have someone using and abusing your connection. Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: bobm on February 22, 2012, 16:31:57 As for BT's home hotspots. Less said about them the better. Bandwidth and fair use policy often come in to play when you have someone using and abusing your connection. Without wishing to divert the thread off course - have you experience of this? I thought if you opted to allow someone to use your router under the BT Openzone scheme the two halves were kept separate and if there was a problem they could tell if it was you - or joe public logging in via openzone and track them through their password? Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Btline on February 22, 2012, 17:48:55 Yes, you always have priority and the access is separated. I think it is a good idea. It also allows you to use BT Openzone hot spots for free too. You're paying for it in your broadband deal.
Now if only BT were the only telecommunications company, then we'd have every home with a free hotspot! :'( Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: EBrown on February 22, 2012, 17:58:23 From Jo on Twitter/FGW website.
Quote Introducing WiFi to more stations Starting in March 2012, we will start to introduce Wifi into 13 more stations and better capabilities at the current 10 stations. The stations that will benefit from complimentary WiFi soon are:
Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Btline on February 22, 2012, 18:33:53 Shocking that Finstock hasn't been included...
Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: paul7575 on February 22, 2012, 18:36:06 Exactly. I was looking forward to being able to get on the interweb at Mottisfont and Dunbridge...
Paul Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Bristolboy on February 22, 2012, 18:45:12 And one important benefit of WiFi. It doesn't eat into your data allowance. Nor does viewing webpages or viewing emails. It's only downloading attachments/files/viewing videos etc. that actually count towards your data allowance. (at least that's how I understand it works, mine is unlimited regardless :D) It depends on the network but in all cases I know the internet and emails are included in the limit. Plus even unlimited wifi is not truly unlimited in many cases with fair usage policies (some as low as 250mb per month or less than 10mb per day). considering viewing some individual webpages can be well over 1mb and streaming videos etc are much higher. I always use wifi wherever possible, but then I am something of a data hog - according to netcounter on my android phone I have used well over 50gb (50,000mb+) in the year or so since I bought it (most of that on wifi). another factor is the 3g network is becoming saturated to capacity in some areas at peak times (in a similar way to how phones don't work at new years) and so the mobile networks are keen for people to use wifi instead of 3g etc. I am surprised fgw don't provide it on their trains-especially considering they sell the train as a more productive travelling option for business people! Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: Lee on February 22, 2012, 19:46:14 Exactly. I was looking forward to being able to get on the interweb at Mottisfont and Dunbridge... Paul Ah yes. As an aside, when travelling back on a late Cardiff-Portsmouth service, you know it's time to give the laptop a rest when passing through the signal-free world that is M&D land... Title: Re: First Great Western orders revamp & roll-out of WiFi network across 23 stations Post by: IndustryInsider on August 10, 2012, 13:51:20 Pangbourne and Tilehurst now have banners up advertising that free WiFi is now available.
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