Rail Users Ireland Forum - View Single Post - Free Wifi on all Dublin-Cork trains

Mark Gleeson · 15-07-2011, 11:34

I've managed an unbroken conversation between Dun Laoghaire and Bray by phone... O2/Esat as it was were the first to cover the cliff between Dalkey and Bray. Sitting inside a steel box it is very difficult to ensure a good signal as you are effectively shielding yourself from the signal. Irish Rail will be deploying GSM-R on the DART in coming years so that will provide complete coverage even in tunnels and on DART underground as the equipment will likely be shared to offset costs. The Cork Tunnel has a vodafone leaky feeder cable fitted.

Rosslare is a problem due to the number of tunnels and the very very isolated countryside. Greystones - Wicklow, Rathdrum - Arklow and around Enniscorthy are real problems

Irish Rail has conducted surveys on key routes to locate the gaps and has leaned on the mobile companies to fill in the gaps.

The train wifi has the benefit of roof mounted antennas for the GSM/EDGE/GPRS/UDMA connection, two modems per network, with up to 8 modems in each unit, so you could get pretty fast performance. The antennas are key to beating the 3G cell shrinking problem.

15-07-2011, 11:34	#25
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	I've managed an unbroken conversation between Dun Laoghaire and Bray by phone... O2/Esat as it was were the first to cover the cliff between Dalkey and Bray. Sitting inside a steel box it is very difficult to ensure a good signal as you are effectively shielding yourself from the signal. Irish Rail will be deploying GSM-R on the DART in coming years so that will provide complete coverage even in tunnels and on DART underground as the equipment will likely be shared to offset costs. The Cork Tunnel has a vodafone leaky feeder cable fitted. Rosslare is a problem due to the number of tunnels and the very very isolated countryside. Greystones - Wicklow, Rathdrum - Arklow and around Enniscorthy are real problems Irish Rail has conducted surveys on key routes to locate the gaps and has leaned on the mobile companies to fill in the gaps. The train wifi has the benefit of roof mounted antennas for the GSM/EDGE/GPRS/UDMA connection, two modems per network, with up to 8 modems in each unit, so you could get pretty fast performance. The antennas are key to beating the 3G cell shrinking problem. __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know Last edited by Mark Gleeson : 15-07-2011 at 11:36.