VIA Rail passengers along the Ontario-Quebec corridor will soon be able to enjoy enhanced, reliable internet service during their journey, thanks to a five year $6.3 million contract awarded to Nomad Digital to design, install, operate, and maintain the wi-fi service for VIA Rail.
The Government of Canada has provided capital funding for the project, including $3 million from its Economic Action Plan.
"Reliable mobile internet access has become an essential part of daily life for many Canadians, especially for business travellers," said Canada’s Minister of State for Transport, the Honourable Rob Merrifield.
Higher internet speeds and consistent connection will allow passengers not only to get work done, but to enjoy online movies and television shows for the duration of their trip as well.
VIA will use the enhanced infrastructure to add more services for customers (such as on-board entertainment), as well as internal connections for train personnel.
Nomad’s wireless technology has been subject to extensive testing since spring 2010, and installation and enhancement will continue through 2011.