http://irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=700

http://irishrail.ie/news_centre/news.asp?action=view&news_id=700

I'm currently on a Thalys train from Paris to Rotterdam and using the WiFi onboard. One thing I notice is that this train uses satellite access to the Internet, although it also uses 3G for access in tunnels etc.

Is there any particular benefits to choosing satellite over 3G or vice versa. Given that this is one of the busiest train lines in the Europe (At this point, it's shared with Eurostar and French domestic services) and runs through some of the most densely populated parts of Europe, I would have thought that 3G would be a good choice here, while satellite made sense in Ireland. Strange that it's the other way round, No?

BTW Access is free in 1st class, but paid in 2nd class. I reckon Irish Rail should look at that model because at the moment, the other benefits of 1st class can't justify the expense.

The trains would be jumping from cell to cell very quickly. With a thousand people on board, it would be quite unkind to the phone system. By contrast, the change in angle to a satellite would be quite slight.

Satellite is slower (in response time terms) and more expensive plus it requires a lump on the roof. The equipment Irish Rail has does support satellite if required.

TGV lines run through open countryside with little or no population, you won't get 3G coverage out there and at 300kph+ GSM technology is well outside its comfort zone.

VIA Rail uses satellite - usable for facebook but unusable for IPSec VPN - and at lower latitudes than 52-54N. (The delay in a roundtrip to a geosync orbit adds 250msec latency just on that segment). Probably rubbish to VoIP too. It's the business travellers IE needs to grab in the long run.