LONDON, February 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Rail company orders revamp and roll-out of WiFi network across 23 of its stations
First Great Western is enhancing 23 stations with the addition of free WiFi access. The WiFi is facilitated by UK public access WiFi provider, The Cloud, and will be available on station platforms, concourses and in waiting rooms.
The installations planned for March 2012, will introduce WiFi to 13 stations across First Great Western routes - including Oxford, Ealing Broadway and Maidenhead - with a network that will provide a fast internet connection, allowing customers to get online for travel information, reliable email access, and media streaming.
A revamp of existing Cloud WiFi installations is also planned for 10 further stations including Bristol, Reading and Bath.
In total, the 23 stations handle over 64million train journeys each year.
First Great Western Station Contracts Manager Robert Jackson, said:
"Travellers now expect to be able to access the internet wherever they are, especially to pass the time during their commutes. The popularity of WiFi - as seen in stations with existing connectivity - made the decision to expand and upgrade a very easy one to make."
"This deal with The Cloud enhances the WiFi network at those stations and extends it across many other busy stations, improving the service we provide to millions of passengers every year."
Vince Russell, managing director at The Cloud, said:
"Millions of people received smartphones, tablets and e-readers for Christmas and will want to make the most of them on their commute. WiFi provides an excellent and consistent connection which, as many travellers will recognise, is not always possible when travelling across the country. This new deal with First Great Western will mean millions of extra travellers will benefit from The Cloud's WiFi service."
Notes to editors
First Great Western provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, carrying more than 90 million passengers every year across the Greater Western rail franchise area, which includes South Wales, the Westcountry, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England.
For further information contact John Ratchford at the First Great Western press office on 0207 3131 192.
About The Cloud
The Cloud (http://www.thecloud.net) builds and operates Wi-Fi networks across the UK and Europe to provide the mobile media experience that consumers want. The service delivers simple, fast, reliable and cost effective broadband to millions of WiFi enabled smartphones, laptops and entertainment devices. The Cloud has exclusive commercial partnerships with retail, leisure, hotels, sports, transport, and entertainment and content partners to deliver its longer-term vision of a connected society.
The Cloud connects approaching 1 million devices to its WiFi network each month - at Pret, Eat, pubs, leisure facilities, restaurants and mainline stations as examples.
The Cloud is a part of the BSkyB Group.
Press contact details:
Iago John/ Lucy Harvey
Harvard PR
+44-(0)20-7861-2844 / +44-(0)20-7861-2504
[email protected]
SOURCE BSkyB
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