Canadian Trains Get Internet Service

By Doug Lung
published

Passengers on Canada's VIA Rail service in Ottawa and Quebec have enjoyed Internet access through services operated by Parsons Corp., a broad-based firm involved in communications, construction and many other enterprises, since November 2006. Earlier this month Parsons Corp. transferred the operation of VIA Rail's Internet service to 21Net. As previously described in RF Report, 21Net is providing Internet access to Thalys trains in Europe.

21Net uses a satellite link to provide Internet connection to the trains, where its dynamic bandwidth assignment technologies improve the user's experience when connected to the train's Wi-Fi network.

"We are extremely proud to have been selected by VIA Rail and Parsons to take over the Internet operations and propose expansions of the services to both VIA Rail and its passengers, thus contributing to VIA’s commitment to quality services towards its customers,” said Henry Hyde-Thomson, chairman of 21Net.

Read all of Doug Lung's RF Reporthere.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.