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press release
(Newcastle upon Tyne, 16 December 2014) Leo Express is now delivering faster Passenger WiFi internet speeds on its intercity trains as a means of luring more and more passengers away from competition and enhancing the passenger experience across its fleet.
Provided by Nomad Digital, early feedback has revealed that internet speeds on intercity fleet trains have more than doubled since the introduction of Nomad’s PEP Charger software, with improvements also reported on connection availability, download times and significant improvements with web browsing in tunnels and poor mobile coverage areas.
The unique Nomad PEP Charger solution, which utilises all of the available bandwidth and improves the flow and share of information on-board – has provided significant improvements for WiFi users travelling with Leo Express. A recent test revealed that 5mb files downloaded in less than 30s increased to 86% from 25% with PEP Charger – with incomplete download rates dropping from 25% to just 3%.
Like many express rail services, Leo Express encounters varying network conditions and ‘black spots’ – and it’s Nomad’s innovative PEP Charger solution that works to improve the strength and availability of the on-board connection, delivering a smoother internet service and browsing experience for passengers.
Leo Express launched a new privately-run intercity rail service in the Czech Republic at the start of 2013 and selected Nomad to provide the Passenger WiFi service on its new Stadler Flirt fleet. At the time of the launch the operator was running sixteen services a day between Prague and Ostrava – and has since carried in excess of 1.2 million passengers in its first year.
“People increasingly travel by train to allow them to work or use their laptops and smartphones while on the move,” says Chairman of Leo Group, “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in occupancy and one of the primary influencers seems to be our exceptional passenger services, with the reliability and speed of WiFi being an integral part.
Leo Express now has 32% of Prague-Ostrava market and consistently over 70% occupancy, compared to approximately 30% occupancy for the state-owned rival operator Czech Rail (ČD).
“In the first three months we carried more than 300,000 passengers and saw the levels of occupancy on our trains rise to 75%” says Leoš Novotný. “Unrivalled WiFi and passenger comfort is something we consider paramount to our future success.”
Nearly two years on from the Passenger WiFi deployment on Leo Express Intercity trains, Nomad’s EMEAI General Manager, claims the success to date for Leo Express proves the sustainability of Nomad’s innovation – as well as the validity of its business case,
“Nomad works closely with all of its customers to ensure that operators extract the full value of our solutions.
Leo Express is a prime example of how operators are utilising the innovations in on-board technology to drive the passenger business case, and Nomad is proud to be playing an integral role.”
About Nomad Digital
Nomad Digital is the world’s leading provider of passenger and fleet connectivity solutions to the railway industry. It offers a broad solutions portfolio to transport operators and builders that significantly enhance passenger experience and increase fleet operational efficiency.
Its integrated and scalable solutions include the multi-award winning and patent-protected Passenger WiFi, enabling seamless connectivity with the internet and on-board infotainment. In addition, its Passenger Information System for live journey, multi-media information and Passenger Portal Framework simplifies the creation of custom portals for on-board services and entertainment. And Nomad’s Remote Online Condition Monitoring, Driver Assist and Power Train products are targeted at identifying efficient fleet maintenance operations and improving fuel economy.
Nomad is the pioneer of the Intelligent journey – a shared and secure network infrastructure to which all authorised on-board systems and passenger devices may connect.
For more information on Nomad Digital please contact:
Vicki Sloan, Global Marketing and Events Manager
+44 (0) 207 096 6966 Ext. 2082
+44 (0) 7848 085 896