More Trains to Test Satellite-Delivered On-Board WiFi

Another train operator is about to launch another trial of Low Earth Orbit satellite-delivered passenger WiFi. This time, the company in question is the government owned Transport for New South Wales, who plan to run a new free WiFi system on trains running between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as on the Sydney, Canberra, Broken Hill route.    

The three-month trial is being delivered by UK-based Motion Applied, via its Australian subsidiary MA Connected Intelligence. The system will use satellite technology combined with 4G and 5G cellular communications and is set to start at the end of this year.

According to Transport for NSW, the trial is will test how on-board communications technology performs across a range of regional, rural, and interstate rail routes – including areas where mobile coverage can be limited.

Two years ago, Transport for NSW was also involved in a test of on-board satellite services when it worked with SpaceX’s Starlink company to test connectivity on the route between Dubbo and Broken Hill. At the time, the regional transport operator said the trial had demonstrated “promising results, delivering more consistent connectivity than mobile networks alone through areas known for coverage black spots.”

The current NSW TrainLink XPT and Xplorer fleet of trains were constructed many years before WiFi or even mobile phones were common and the tinted windows, installed for passenger comfort work against the mobile signals making connectivity “challenging”.

Jenny Aitchison, NSW’s Minister for Roads and Regional Transport said, “We’ll use this WiFi trial to listen to feedback and use the results to understand what works, where the technology performs best, and what’s needed for a wider rollout. This is about delivering a better passenger experience today, while also gathering the evidence needed to plan for the future of regional rail.”

The spread of on-board WiFi services, trackside wireless delivery and the increasing use of LEO satellites to boost connectivity will all be fully discussed at this year’s WiFi on Trains Conference, hosted by BWCS in London (www.Traincomms.com ).

The Main Sponsors for Traincomms 2026 are Icomera, Huber+Suhner and Nomad Digital. Westermo, Hughes Europe, CGI, Unwired and Eutelsat are also Sponsoring the Conference. Antonics is an Expo Sponsor.

Tickets to attend the Conference are available now via http://traincomms.com/book1.cfm

For more information on attending this year’s Conference please contact [email protected]