JJ Kavanagh buses fitted with on-board WiFi

cargo

WiFi on buses becoming a reality here it seems!!!!

This is up on Silicone Republics site

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/12135/comms/all-aboard-the-nations-first-wi-fi-buses


All aboard the nation’s first Wi-Fi buses

21.01.2009
A 90-year old Irish bus fleet has joined forces with Vodafone and Fleet Connect to become the first in Ireland to deploy Wi-Fi on-board its fleet to keep passengers, from students to professionals, connected while on the move.

JJ Kavanagh & Sons is the first in Ireland to bring the information age to its passengers with the introduction of on-board Wi-Fi to its full fleet of Fáilte Ireland-approved coaches with its partners Fleet Connect.

The latest in vehicle technology will provide high-speed wireless internet access for all passengers, and allow JJ Kavanagh & Sons to track the location of each vehicle in its fleet in real-time, leading to an improved service for its customers.

JJ Kavanagh & Sons has selected Vodafone as the mobile data service provider for the deployment, taking advantage of Vodafone’s 3G mobile broadband network that uses HSDPA (High-speed download packet access) for download speeds up to 3Mbps.

Students will want to access to social entertainment such as Bebo and Facebook, and all passengers now have the option of logging online for their specific needs throughout their journey.

JJ Kavanagh & Sons has partnered with Fleet Connect, which has fitted coaches with 3G broadband-enabled MoovBox M series wireless technology. The MoovBox M service was judged the ‘Best Wi-Fi Product’ in the Wireless Broadband Innovation Awards 2008.

The MoovBox mobile gateway is a ruggedised Wi-Fi access point and cellular router, offering multiple wide area network (WAN) radios for automatic fail-over carriers and featuring built-in GPS for real-time positioning.

MoovBox products also offer secure Ethernet for IP-CCTV, DVR and telematics equipment, with remote in-bound access for device control and support plug-and-play upgradeability to future technologies such as Wi MAX. The multi-user MoovManage service provides real-time device tracking, schedule adherence monitoring, remote device configuration and Wi-Fi portal and usage statistics.

Patrick Cotter, director of Fleet Connect, said introduction of the Wi-Fi service resulted from the growing need of business commuters to be accessible and connected at all times, as well as increased consumer internet usage.

“Such a major commitment to this technology from Ireland’s largest Irish-owned player is clear evidence that public transport is the new major market for Wi-Fi hot spots and the services that in-bus internet connectivity enables”.

Recent research reflects how public Wi-Fi hotspot usage grew by over 272% in Europe in 2008.

“The additional ability of the MoovBox to act as an internet hub for in vehicle services such as tracking, CCTV and entertainment, means that forward-thinking operators like JJ Kavanagh & Sons are equipping their fleets for future multimedia applications

“The demand for mobile internet connectivity has grown rapidly in recent years, particularly amongst business professionals who need to be accessible while on the move,” added Anne O’Leary, enterprise director, Vodafone Ireland.

“Vodafone has Ireland’s fastest and most-reliable mobile network with high-quality mobile broadband coverage available nationwide. Coverage currently stands at over 89% population coverage. Along with the quality of coverage, the ease of use of this technology will allow passengers to enjoy simple, fast and reliable connectivity whilst travelling with JJ Kavanagh & Sons,” she explained.

Launching the new service, JJ Kavanagh director Paul Kavanagh said: “It’s an exciting time for the company. Providing internet connectivity to our entire fleet introduces a technology platform on which we can build new and innovative services that not only benefits our passengers but also improves the way our fleet operates.”

JJ Kavanagh & Sons recently reinforced its position as Ireland’s premier Irish-owned transport operator by launching an airport service to both Shannon and Dublin airports, running throughout the night.

Established in 1919, the family-run JJ Kavanagh & Sons is the largest privately owned coach company in Ireland, with each coach having a maximum average age of 1.7 years.

The company has a fleet of over 110 Fáilte Ireland-approved coaches, along with the recent addition of 15 tri Axle Setra executive coaches.

Alun

Hmmm, a whole busload of people all sharing one 3Mbit/s connection, that should be fun. I'd imagine that any business user worth his salt who's in any way reliant on mobile connectivity will have his own 3G card anyway.

Daysha

As someone who gets the train from Dublin-Waterford twice a week, the recent price jumps made me think twice about whether I should just settle for the bus instead.

This just confirms it. Congratulations to JJ Kavanaghs for doing something that Iarnrod Eireann could never do, actually give much needed benefits to the paying customer.

scl

Hi All

As the providers of the system on jj kavanagh this is a very exciting time, we look forward to rolling out the system accross the country. This award winning product is provided as genuine free product by forward thinking companies like jj Kavanagh, Air coach,collins coaches and many more to come.

Regards

SCL

deise59 wrote: »

As someone who gets the train from Dublin-Waterford twice a week, the recent price jumps made me think twice about whether I should just settle for the bus instead.

This just confirms it. Congratulations to JJ Kavanaghs for doing something that Iarnrod Eireann could never do, actually give much needed benefits to the paying customer.

pointofnoreturn

Why did Icomera (http://www.icomera.com/) no push this technologies them selves? they deployed it for Citylink Scotland, and on some trains too, i used it in Sweden from the Airport, was one of the only ones on the bus so got to full wake! 6Mbit/s ~ must have been behind a 7.2Mbit 3G network

http://www.icomera.com/

So, besides the onboard wifi, will their be any passanger information provide where one can tell when the bus is arriving, Aircoach have a nice GPS tracking service on their website

scl

Hi

We are the Icomera partner in Ireland, the system is a worldwide success and deployed sucessfully as far afield as Hong Kong. Gps is also provided.

Regards

Scl

pointofnoreturn wrote: »

Why did Icomera (http://www.icomera.com/) no push this technologies them selves? they deployed it for Citylink Scotland, and on some trains too, i used it in Sweden from the Airport, was one of the only ones on the bus so got to full wake! 6Mbit/s ~ must have been behind a 7.2Mbit 3G network

http://www.icomera.com/

So, besides the onboard wifi, will their be any passanger information provide where one can tell when the bus is arriving, Aircoach have a nice GPS tracking service on their website

Peter B

I would like to add my downright disappointment with JJKavanagh buses. I am currently on the Dublin - Limerick bus and was really excited to use their onboard wifi. As soon as I was on the bus I tried to connect to the wifi network. Then realised there was none. Fortunately I can connect through my IPhone with internet tethering through 3G. I just went on the JJKavanagh website to find out more about their on board wifi. I came across this:

Wifi
On Board select coaches
05 KE 101
08 TS 11
06 KK 11
06 W 11
05 WD 11

The above is obviously the number plates of all the coaches that have wifi. Only 5? :eek: I'm guessing my bus is not one but I can't see the number plate from here in the bus.

Now I do not have any idea how many buses JJKavanagh has but I'm pretty sure it's significantly more than 5. The fact that they can say they have wifi on their buses is a sham and very misleading. Is it just pot luck you get a bus with wifi?

Anyway my phone is being charged by my laptop which will run out of power soon due to having charge the phone while I use it.

:mad: Anyway you have let me down Kavanaghs buses, rant over!

Morf

I think most of the WiFi buses are on the Airport - Waterford route.

I was on one with WiFi fitted. It didn't work surprisingly.

pointofnoreturn

Morf wrote: »

I think most of the WiFi buses are on the Airport - Waterford route.

I was on one with WiFi fitted. It didn't work surprisingly.

I've been disappointed too, was on both AirCoach service and GoBus (a few times) and even though in most cases the service works, it is slower then what i've experience abroad,
I don't think the bus operators are to blam here, rather the mobile operators as this country seams to just have a poor 3G broadband network, both in capacity and service level, never have I seen a 3G mobile connect at 7.2Mits

Until that changes mobile 3G-WiFi access will be a failure.

brownacid

The matthews bus from bettystown to dublin has wifi on all teh buses, slow but still its a good way to pass the time when stuck in rush hour traffic

Mrs OBumble

cargo wrote: »

WiFi on buses becoming a reality here it seems!!!!


http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/12135/comms/all-aboard-the-nations-first-wi-fi-buses
.... the first in Ireland to deploy Wi-Fi on-board its fleet

www.GoBus.ie have had it for several months now. Feedback in the Galway city forum is that it seems to work well enough (haven't tried it myself).

Cookie_Monster

with each coach having a maximum average age of 1.7 years.

Talk about unsustainable business model. Are JJ not now under considerable financial pressure with the recession and borrowings for such a frequently replaced fleet.

No wonder they are jumping the gun announcing the Wifi service rather than wait until its established in a reasonably %age of the fleet.

Chris_533976

Gobus have it, so do Citylink. Neither are terribly reliable.

I was on Citylink recently and it died as soon as we left Galway.

Polar101

JustMary wrote: »

www.GoBus.ie have had it for several months now. Feedback in the Galway city forum is that it seems to work well enough (haven't tried it myself).

The first post was over seven months ago, in fairness.

bk

Alun wrote: »

Hmmm, a whole busload of people all sharing one 3Mbit/s connection, that should be fun. I'd imagine that any business user worth his salt who's in any way reliant on mobile connectivity will have his own 3G card anyway.

The advantage of this sort of system, is that a powerful large antenna on the roof will give you far better reception then your phone or laptop.

Also, given the way that mobile broadband works, 10 users on a bus using their own modem will get about the same performance as using the onboard wifi + 3G.

This just goes to show how far behind the times Irish Rail are, still no equivalent on their intercity services.

I'm also suprised that one of these companies haven't set up a direct non stop service on the Motorways between Cork and Dublin, with onboard toilet and wifi for a reasonable price. They would destroy Irish Rail.

trap4

I emailed JJ Kavanagh on July 22nd about their coverage on the Dublin - Limerick route and was told by Adam Buckeridge that "The wifi is on 2 of the limerick buses, but the entire route will be covered by mid to end of august." Looks like he was being a bit optimistic then.

jojo86

with regard to JJ Kavanagh, I'd just like to say they should concentrate on improving their service before worrying about wi-fi etc...
Last year I was getting my regular commuter bus from Maynooth to Carlow. It's a long old trip that means a change over in Naas. The driver from Maynooth gave me the type of ticket he always gives students- a ripped piece of paper from something random and scribbled the route and paid on it and signed it. I got to naas, got off the bus and waited on my changeover. I'd like to note I was a student and had no extra cash that day, I had my ticket money and money for food...

Anyway, naas to carlow bus came and I got on showing my "ticket" to the driver. These tickets are always questioned but usually there is more than one student getting on with the same ticket so it looks less suspicious. This time I was alone and got told my ticket was not valid. It was a foreign driver, but dont think that matters. I pleaded with him and told him that he could call the driver or the office but he basically told me to get off and left me in Naas with no money in the pissing rain. I had to get my sister to drive the whole way to pick me up and felt humiliated.

JJKavanagh seemed sorry and refunded me, but the few times afterwards when I got the bus I saw things had not really changed there were still no standard tickets being given, I had to ask for a ticket when you should just be given one full stop.

I'm glad I don't need to use this service and don't plan on again. But for future students and general users of the bus I think it's a disgrace that they can't organize tickets for each driver. I often wonder how organisations such as this get away with being so lackadaisical...

Anyway, apologies for ranting on but I feel that it's appalling the problem has not been corrected and hope maybe raising awareness of it will mean future users of the bus will not have to go through the same embarrassment and humiliation I went through.

Victor

I think the JJ Kavanagh tech guy posts here. I'll see if I can find him.