T-Mobile to bring mobile broadband to Virgin trains

Responding to increased customer demand for internet access on the move, T-Mobile has teamed up with Virgin trains to offer mobile broadband on Virgin's West Coast Main Line, using WiFi hotspots.

The West Coast Main Line, which operates between London and southern Scotland, via the West Midlands and the North West, serves around 22.5 million passengers per year. The mobile broadband service will initially be available on Virgin's 52 Pendolino trains and will extend to 21 of the Super Voyager trains by mid-summer.  The service will be complimentary to First Class passengers, and T-Mobile pay monthly customers have unlimited WiFi hotspot access as part of their bundle. Other passengers can purchase HotSpot passes online from their Wi-Fi enabled device.

Commenting on the news, Head of Internet and Entertainment for T-Mobile UK Richard Warmsley said: “As the popularity of mobile broadband continues to soar, we want to do everything we can to offer people access to the internet wherever they are. This provides a unique solution on-board Virgin Trains, at no extra cost to our pay monthly Mobile Broadband customers, and available to everyone, whatever mobile phone network they use.”

The service sees the renewed partnering of T-Mobile with Nomad Digital, a leading provider of data communications to the transportation sector. This partnership has been at the forefront of provision of internet access on trains, including the world's first ever on-train broadband WiFi service on the London to Brighton route, and access on the Heathrow Express trains.