ESA (http://www.esa.int) / 21 April 2005

Thalys train to pilot high-speed Internet access to passengers


 Internet via satellite on board trains

Thanks to the support of the European Space Agency (ESA), broadband Internet access via satellite is being offered to passengers on the Thalys train running between Brussels and Paris.

The initial three-month pilot service will test the performance of this breakthrough in technology as well as assess customer interest. The technology allows passengers aboard one of the trains on the Brussels-Paris line to connect to the Internet with Wi-Fi-enabled laptops.

Wi-Fi Internet inside

The initial three-month pilot service will test the performance of this breakthrough in technology as well as assess customer interest. The technology allows passengers aboard one of the trains on the Brussels-Paris line to connect to the Internet with Wi-Fi-enabled laptops.

"Everyone is eager to begin accessing the Internet onboard trains," explains Mr. Fermin Alvarez Lopez of ESA Telecom. "21Net's technology is certainly making this become a reality. And the collaboration between all involved is clearly a strength of the project."
Antenna mounted on the roof
of the train


Improving 'the travel
experience'

'This growing demand to access the Internet while on the move requires flexible solutions. This project demonstrates ESA’s mission in Telecommunications to support European industry in innovative projects corresponding to users’ needs. Having access to email or Web-browsing at both reasonable speeds and costs enormously improves what is called 'the travel experience', benefiting industry, service providers, train operators and passengers.

Beyond this pilot project ESA is interested in actively promoting a European-wide initiative to facilitate the uptake and subsequent consolidation of broadband Internet to trains opportunity. In this respect, ESA is coordinating a forum of train operators to promote pan-European solutions

For more information, please contact: contact@21net.com