Colubris to provide wireless networks on Alstom’s trainsWLAN equipment provider Colubris Networks has partnered with Alstom to provide wireless networks and services on Alstom’s trains. The first deployments under the partnership are on Italy’s Pendolino train, which includes the Trenitalia and Cisalpino railways, and France’s TGV train. Alstom will integrate Colubris multiservice access point, controller and client bridge products into its IP networking platform and offer the combined service in its trains. Alstom will market the service to train operators worldwide for a broad range of applications, including passenger access to the internet and online information, networking of onboard systems, mobile access to ticketing and catering applications. In the future, this system can be extended to include external communications from the train to the ground. Under a trial project, Alstom is rolling out a wireless network on France’s high-speed TGV train. Scheduled for tests in September, the combined Colubris and Alstom service will provide Wi-Fi for inter-car communication and internet access for passengers. Upon successful completion of the trial, Alstom will install wireless networks on 52 TGV trains with a total of 2,400 wireless access points in 2008.
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