Case study Using WiFi on Trains to Enhance Productivity

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Case study - Using WiFi on Trains to Enhance
Productivity

Jay Saw Manager - T-Mobile HotSpot (UK)
May 2006
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Who are T-Mobile HotSpot?

• Worlds largest international public WiFi hotspot
  operator
• Part of T-Mobile (Deutsche Telekom)
• Integrated approach
• One brand

HotSpot Locations on air (status January cw08 ,
2006)
T-Mobile Core Footprint

• 368

• 103

• 6.416 (T-Mobile T-Com)

• 711

• 1042

• 6.800

TMO footprint
?
TMO Roaming available

• 15.440

First priority roaming partners
Second stage partners
4000 from roaming agreements (BTOZ, TI, PT,
Swisscom Mobile) 600 T-Mobile locations
currently in rollout in Europe acquisition is
ongoing
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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsWhat?

• T-Mobile HotSpot (WiFi) service on board trains
  running between London Victoria and Brighton
• Worlds first genuine broadband on-train Wi-Fi
  service
• Complete journey connectivity
• Available to all passengers in WiFi carriages

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsWhy?

• Strong demand for on-train Wi-Fi
• Maximise dead time
• Complements T-Mobiles mobility strategy

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsWhy?

• Strong demand for on-train Wi-Fi
• Maximise dead time
• Complements T-Mobiles mobility strategy

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsService
visibility
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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsService
visibility
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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsUser
Experience

• Just like any other hotspot
• it just happens to be moving
• Pass portability on the UK T-Mobile HotSpot
  network
• But extremely compelling
• Sessions and connectivity maintained throughout
  entire journey
• VPN sessions maintained
• No repeated log ins as service is not
  droppedeven in tunnels!
• Broadband available throughout majority of journey

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsUser
Experience
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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsUser
Experience
Video
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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsDelivering
The Solution

• Unique and ground breaking technical solution
• Rail industry experience
• Network build operation

• Enhance on-board passenger experience
• Turning travel time into productive time
• Willingness to become an on-train W-iFi pioneer
• Strong marketing support

• Strong Wi-Fi cellular brand
• Extensive UK footprint for off-train service
  continuity
• Financial backing
• Service operation

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsSolution
Overview
W.W.W.
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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsDelivering
broadband to a moving train

• Maintaining a bi-directional broadband connection
  to a fast moving trains is extremely challenging
• Several proprietary technologies developed by
  Nomad
• Built a dedicated 82km private network
• Corridor of broadband backhaul based around WiMax
  standard
• Uses cellular as fallback where broadband not yet
  built
• Delivers up to 32 mbps in both directions, but
  currently scaled back to gain distance

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsTechnology
used

• Primary backhaul uses Point to Multipoint (PMP)
  fixed wireless transceivers
• Proprietary protocol - IEEE 802.16 - TG4
  pre-WiMax
• Low latency
• but been developed further to support
• very fast hand-offs between cells and also
  different bearers
• mobile functionality for any IP based fixed
  wireless technologies
• We could upgrade to true WiMAX
• Intelligence in switching software on the train
• Very directional sensitive antennae
• Unlicensed 5.4-5.8 GHz bands
• WiFi to end users

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsChallenges?

• Train lines are not always straight or at ground
  level
• Trees metal bridges

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsChallenges?

• MANY months to perfect solution
• Even longer to get rail authority approvals
• Any installation on rail property or on a train
  is very slow and process heavy
• Gaining access to locations to mount antennae is
  critical
• Maximising cell coverage/reach
• Gaining 100 broadband may never be possible
  practically

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsWhy
Terrestrial Backhaul?

• Satellite in general is
• Expensive, disruptive to install intermittent
• Restrictions in UK on bi-directional use
• Incompatible with tunnels in some cases

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsWhy
Terrestrial Backhaul?

• Satellite in general is
• No cost effective for large fleet deployments and
  carrying high capacity

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T-Mobile HotSpot on Southern trainsThe Future
For On-Train WiFi?

• Rail operators now actively pursuing
• Use for additional applications
• Alternative backhaul options
• Growth in bandwidth
• Staying economic