RADWIN, the leading provider of train-to-ground wireless communications solutions, today announced that the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) has approved the system acceptance testing for FrontRunner commuter train Wi-Fi systems delivered by RADWIN. The project was implemented by contract Systems Integrator, The GBS Group of Virginia Beach, VA.

 

UTA and GBS chose RADWIN’s FiberinMotion® Train-to-Ground solution to deliver free high-speed Wi-Fi to passengers onboard its FrontRunner trains. UTA’s FrontRunner runs along an 89-mile corridor and serves Weber, Davis, Utah, and Salt Lake Counties.

 

RADWIN’s track side radios were deployed approximately 2 miles / 3.2 km apart along 30 miles / 48 km of the corridor North of Salt Lake City.

 

FiberinMotion® was chosen to replace a low-throughput, legacy radio system and was integrated by the GBS Group – RADWIN’s partner and system integrator – in conjunction with a cellular based solution from 21Net.

 

“New high-speed Wi-Fi train to ground communications has proven to be very successful in our north corridor,” said UTA Manager of Communications and Deployment Kyle Brimley. “With the use of smart phones and tablets onboard our trains growing at an exponential rate, it was decided to upgrade our wireless infrastructure with RADWIN’s FiberinMotion® to provide our passengers with an increased travel experience and enable an improved broadband service. The bandwidth in the area covered by RADWIN systems delivers from 3 to 10 times the broadband that we can achieve with cellular.”

 

“We are proud to have been chosen by the GBS Group and their client the Utah Transit Authority for this prestigious Wi-Fi on trains project”, said Vice President and Head of Strategic Industries at RADWIN, Nir Hayzler.

 

“Time and again it’s been proven that in order to meet passengers’ Wi‐Fi demands, train operators cannot solely rely on commercial cellular networks. To provide true high capacity and consistent Wi-Fi connectivity to passengers, operators require a dedicated trackside network. By implementing the FiberinMotion® train-to-ground solution, UTA is delivering Wi-Fi onboard its trains with utmost speed, quality and reliability”.

 

About The GBS Group (GBS)
The GBS Group, founded in 2006, employs over 100 engineers, software developers, project analysts, controls and automation engineers solving problems for clients across the United States and Canada. GBS provides application and reliability engineering and custom hardware/software solutions for rolling stock health monitoring, passenger Wi-Fi, train station display and announcing systems for passenger rail agencies including Amtrak, VIA Rail Canada, Maryland Transit Administration, New Jersey Transit, Toronto Transit Commission, Utah Transit Authority and most recently Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit.

 

GBS provides control and automation solutions for commercial and US Navy vessels, power monitoring and control software programming for Verizon Power in New York City, and dedicated engineers and analysts who support US Navy, Military Sealift Command and other engineering agencies servicing ships and vessels worldwide. GBS has multiple service contracts and personnel in Virginia, Washington DC, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania, New York, and Montreal.

 

For more information about The GBS Group go to www.TheGBSGroup.us.

 

About UTA
Established in 1970, UTA has become a multi-modal transportation leader that is 100 percent accessible with a fleet of more than 600 buses and paratransit vehicles, 406 vanpools, 146 light rail vehicles, 63 commuter rail cars and 18 locomotives.

 

UTA operates in seven counties along the Wasatch Front, including 45 miles of light rail in Salt Lake County and 90 miles of commuter rail from Salt Lake City to destinations in Utah and Weber counties. In 2015, UTA ridership was more than 46.6 million boardings.

 

Visit UTA’s social media hub at www.rideuta.com.