21Net

The Modular 21 system is low cost, completely scalable, and dynamically reconfigurable to any train configuration. “Modular 21 has completed testing, and represents an enhancement to our portfolio of cellular, Wi-Fi, and satellite based mobile broadband systems utilized today in Europe and North America” said Henry Hyde-Thomson, Chairman of 21 Net. “The new system is now ready for deployment. Several train operators have expressed their interest in Modular 21 as an upgrade to their current system or the baseline of an entirely new platform” Henry added.

Every Internet provisioned carriage is equipped with the same set of compact equipment. There is no need for a main rack or centralized costly brain car. Modular 21 integrates interior and exterior Wi-Fi, and Cellular antennas, so any carriage can act as a self contained Internet on Board system. Modular 21 utilizes 21Net’s aggregation technology to make use of the simultaneous bandwidth available on all 3G networks. This gives passengers the best possible quality of Wi-Fi service along the route or in stations where Wi-Fi is available as a backbone source. This gives passengers the best possible quality of Wi-Fi service.

In addition when multiple carriages equipped with the Modular 21 system are operated together in a single train configuration, the Modular 21 nodes dynamically forms a self-configured mesh network in which Internet traffic from any carriage can be transported over the external links from that carriage, or from any other carriage. In this way a total train system derives the advantages of
bonding many cellular links, antenna diversity and automatic load balancing.

The Modular 21 system has been designed so that ontrain and off‐train components are linked together forming a heterogeneous network of wireless technologies. To fill in gaps in cellular data coverage Integration with satellite connectivity (Sat 21) for long distance routes is a major benefit for operators in terms of flexibility. Throughout the Modular 21 System, redundancy and failure mitigation are key components.