As a means to alleviating the limitations of mobile data, hotspots are nothing new. For many years now, people have been able to access a Wi-Fi connection in most bars, restaurants and hotels. While hotspots have not always been a benchmark of high-speed access, they have always performed dutifully at filling the holes that the first three iterations of the mobile data left in their wake.

However, there has always been an area in which Wi-Fi hotspots have fallen short of the mark – public transportation. Getting a stable connection on a train that is travelling 120mph has been no easy task and while it has been achieved, the experience has often been far from ideal. Thanks to the principle known as Faraday Cage (a shield which is formed by a metal object, blocking electrical fields), mobile networks are also heavily unreliable on public transport. Yet things are about to get a whole lot better.

Generally speaking, public transport Wi-Fi relies on the cellular data network, satellite or a combination of the two, to provide an uninterrupted browsing experience (except planes of course, which exclusive rely on satellite).

Despite the best efforts of many transportation providers, this user experience has been variable at best. The truth is that the 3G and HSPA networks were simply not designed to deal with the demands that people are now placing on them, especially when switching between cells at such a rapid rate.

However, the fourth generation of mobile network technology really is a game changer and as a result, public transportation Wi-Fi should take a major step forward.

The history of mobile data

Three iterations of mobile communications have now come and gone, each of them bringing their own pros, and inevitably, each of them bringing their own cons too. GSM, the godfather of mobile, was capable of sending the humble text message and that was about the extent of its data capabilities.

It was GPRS (General Packet Radio Signal) and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) which ushered in the era of mobile data. GPRS allowed users to achieve maximum download speeds of about 112 kilobits per second (kbps). EDGE, which was an American technology, brought this speed up to about 120 � 200 kbps. The first iPhone was a GPRS/EDGE device proving that, for a time, the speeds were acceptable.

However, the pace of technological advancements in the digital realm quickly overtook the cellular network’s capabilities, and it was the third iteration of mobile communications that quenched the thirst of users. 3G went through several advancements, starting with speeds of around 384K bps, and eventually achieving speeds well into the megabits.

While 3G alleviated many of the data demands, it hasn’t been without its shortfalls. Coverage is often patchy and in many countries, focuses solely on dense urban areas.

In 2008, the International Telecommunications Union-Radio communications sector (ITU-R) specified that 4G should be able to achieve speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) when highly mobile, such as in a car and a staggering 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) when stationary. While LTE, the first iteration of 4G, comes nowhere near this (meaning that it isn’t ‘technically’ 4G), it blows 3G out of the water, both in terms of its speed, its spread and its penetration.

With speeds in the US often in excess of 50 Mbps, the mobile network is now outperforming many home connections. With the data pipe being that much larger, Wi-Fi on public transport will undoubtedly reap the benefits. Public transport has been the final hurdle in creating universal coverage and means that people can now genuinely be ‘always connected’.

A business perspective

This ‘always connected’ form of living is interestingly going to change the business model for monetising public Wi-Fi networks too. People are no longer willing to pay a premium for internet access, which trains, planes and buses frequently asked for. Governments are also keen to see these charges removed as it is believed that by allowing commuters access to transport Wi-Fi, productivity can be boosted, which in turn should play a small part in driving economic growth.

Recently, a new model has arisen – one where, in return for free Wi-Fi, the user is subject to the occasional advertisement on their device. Advertisers seem more than happy to pay for the captivated audience and the users understand that advertisements are a small price to pay for a premium service.

As cellular data continues to advance so too does Wi-Fi technology. The standardisation of Wi-Fi roaming, as well as new hardware pushing the boundaries of transfer speeds, means that the relationship between cellular data and Wi-Fi is about to change too.

Soon enough, users will be passed between cellular data and Wi-Fi seamlessly. Not only will this infinitely improve the user experience, but again, it will open the door for companies to find new and innovative ways to monetise their networks.