Paris-Brussels train claims first wireless broadband on a high-speed train

Paris, April 25, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- A stable Wi-Fi broadband internet connection via satellite was successfully tested aboard a high-speed train – the Paris-Brussels route operated by Thalys. The record bandwidth attained was 4 Mbit/s downstream and 2 upstream at 300 km/h, comparable to the quality of an ADSL+ (asymmetric digital subscriber line plus) connection, a faster variant of DSL.

This test was made possible with support from ESA (European Space Agency) and was implemented by the Anglo-Belgian operator 21Net with Siemens as technology partner. Siemens integrated the wireless broadband Wi-Fi network in the passenger cars and provided the complete management system including authentication and billing.

The new satellite link on the Thalys high-speed train offers business people, train personnel and private travelers a fast and stable opportunity to surf the internet while traveling at more than 300 km/h. The link between the train and satellite has a bandwidth of a maximum of 4 Mbit/s downstream and 2 upstream, comparable to the quality of an ADSL+ connection - an ADSL technology which effectively doubles the downstream bandwidth available for services - and offers numerous business and entertainment applications. Thalys has hereby set a new record.

21Net got the order from Thalys to implement the test installation. 21Net chose Siemens as its partner for integrating a wireless broadband Wi-Fi network in the passenger cars. Siemens used the Garderos operational support system for authentication and billing and operates the system on behalf of 21Net.

The pilot project will run for a period of three months on one train only. If proven successful, Thalys will equip its entire fleet of 28 trains running on the Brussels-Paris route with super fast internet.

The principle behind the solution is technologically complex but extremely user friendly at the same time. When paying for a seat, each passenger receives a password and ID for logging on to the wireless broadband interconnection. As soon as the passenger logs on, the authentication information is sent to the central Network Operations Center (NOC) of Siemens Belgium via satellite.

The NOC houses the Network Management Center where Siemens manages the authentication of users for 21Net and assimilates the time-based billing data. To this end Siemens collaborates with Garderos, a German company that makes WLAN infrastructure software for operational support systems. What is more, the center manages all components on the train remotely. The first-line helpdesk for users is operated by 21Net. Siemens staffs the system helpdesk that intervenes at network level.

An additional benefit to 21Net was the railway expertise of the Siemens “Energy Industry Transport” department in Belgium that designed the special racks for the servers and configuration components. The racks meet specific requirements imposed by the relevant railway networks, are vibration proof and are protected against electrical overvoltage. Ergonomically, they occupy only the smallest space.

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