Posted: 09th Dec, 2003 By: MarkJ
Nomad Digital Rail (NDR) has begun one of the first UK trials of super fast broadband wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) hotspot technology, known as WiMAX (802.16). The system is being tested on-train:
NDR is looking to use the mobile version of WiMAX, 802.16e, in future deployments to deliver the same applications at higher speed than Wi-Fi, although it will roll out 802.11 until the e variant is standardized.
The ideal will be integration of station-based Wi-Fi hotspots with 802.16e in the train itself, since the faster standard is optimized for moving vehicles, and can provide lower cost backhaul than satellite.
The communications engine for the Nomad system has been developed by the UKs Brand Communications. This automatically manages data devices and aggregates bandwidth from whatever is in range along a given route, whether this is cellular, Wi-Fi, microwave or satellite.It's unclear whether the mobile version (802.16e) will allow speeds of up to 70Mbits/ps, which are offered by the primary 802.16 standard. More @
The Register.