The provision of wireless internet access on China’s high-speed rail network could boost competition in the country’s public transport sector, it has been claimed.
Telecommunications experts recently approved plans to roll out hotspots across the nation’s expansive rail network, in a move which is expected to help operators boost revenue significantly.
Wi-Fi is a hot topic in China’s public transport industry at present. One of the country’s biggest air carriers, China Eastern Airlines, also revealed last week that it has started testing new hotspots, with a view to a wider roll-out in the future, wantchinatimes.com reports.
As part of the trial stage, connectivity will be provided for free to business passengers on all domestic flights until September 30. It is not yet known, however, whether the carrier plans to charge users when the service is made fully available in the future.
According to traveldailynews.asia, China Eastern Airlines said in a statement: “We are very excited to offer this extremely exciting service with China Telecom Satellite and Panasonic Avionics. This is a tremendous milestone for China and we look forward to ensuring our passengers are both entertained and productive as they fly.”
The company claims that its new system can accommodate around 200 users at one time, but speeds will be limited. With only 50 devices connected, however, streaming videos and playing games should become possible.
Experts at market research firm In-Stat estimate that by next year, in-flight Wi-Fi will generate annual income of around £880 million for carriers across the globe.
