The market for on-train WiFi services is finally starting to take off with major European, US and Asian operators rapidly following the UK’s
lead and introducing on-board, high-speed wireless internet connections
for their passengers.Against this background and with a host of new
services rapidly emerging all over the world, the third annual WiFi on
Train Conference is set for a record turn-out.

Train Communications 2008, hosted by technology consultancy BWCS in
London next month, will see train companies from across the globe
meeting up to discuss the latest developments in this fast-moving
market.

As Graham Wilde, CEO of BWCS, put it, “This year there has been an
unprecedented number of new services and trials launched. From the West
Coast of America, to India and Australia, we are seeing more interest
than ever in these on-board WiFi systems.” He went on “train companies
are fired up by a heady combination of introducing cost-saving
applications for their own operations and adding new, income-generating,
entertainment services for their passengers.”

BWCS, which has worked with many of the leading operators on the
development and procurement of WiFi on train services will host a series
of presentations by the leading rail companies on the 11th and 12th of
June.

Wilde reflected that almost every train operator worth its salt will be
at the conference, either presenting or attending. “We feel this is a
great opportunity for all of us to learn from their successes and
occasional failures, as well as to hear reports on progress from trials
of new systems and services - straight from the horses’ mouths.”

Among those presenting at Train Communications Systems 2008 will be:
SNCF, SJ, Trains (Sweden), Deutsche Bahn, Danish Rail, Nokia Siemens
Networks, Lloyd’s Register Rail, NS Trains, Parsons Corporation,
Icomera, WiFi Rail, Nomad Digital and many more.

Over two days, a combination of interactive workshops, panel sessions,
presentations and networking sessions will explore the commercial and
technical issues arising from the deployment of train WiFi around the
world as well as other newer applications developed as wireless
broadband on trains becomes a reality. Train Communications 2008 will be
held in central London on the 11th and 12th of June 2008.

The conference is sponsored by Nokia Siemens Networks, Icomera,
InfoGlobal and Lloyd’s Register Rail with lunches sponsored by Nomad
Digital. 21Net is sponsoring a cocktail event at the end of the first
day.
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