GWR train fitted with F1 tech for two-month superfast wifi trial
Train wifi in the UK, long a source of frustration for passengers, is about to get radically faster – for a lucky few at least.A two-month trial has begun on one Great Western Railway (GWR) train, fitted with technology from Formula One that switches between the signals from 5G masts to low Earth-orbit satellites to provide almost seamless, superfast wifi.For now, only one of GWR’s 57 intercity express trains will have a connection good enough to deliver a Netflix series to the seat.However, a successful trial and the promise of lower costs could spell a wider rollout to the rest of the mainline railway by 2030.On a test run from London Paddington to Newbury and back, the Guardian found the wifi fast and reliable enough to video call editors at the office, catch up on old Match of the Days on iPlayer and listen to songs on YouTube at the same time, with only occasional blips and pixelation.
Download speeds reached more than 120 megabytes a second, faster than many homes.Speaking at Paddington at the launch of the trial, the rail minister, Peter Hendy, said: “Passenger experience is top of our agenda – and 21st-century experience ought to be seamless fast wifi … which will make the time spent travelling by train even more valuable.”He said the trial would complement government investment in improving mobile connectivity, with another £41m set aside for train wifi and low-orbit satellite connections, announced in June’s spending review.The Department for Transport is funding work to eliminate mobile signal black spots in rail tunnels and upgrading 5G infrastructure at stations on GWR routes.Lord Hendy said the new state-owned Great British Railways would aspire to fast wifi across the entire railway, but added: “The real question is how quickly and how cheaply it can be rolled out.
”Hendy said it could be “a real productivity benefit for the whole country, hopefully at a modest cost”.He said the department would be awaiting the results of the trial, but its advocates claim the new system could be installed relatively quickly and cheaply without requiring extra infrastructure on the railway.The previous government was considering scrapping free wifi on trains because of the unreliability and cost.Nick Fry, the chair of Motion Applied, a tech company spun out of the McLaren racing division, said the pilot would demonstrate the technology was ready.The UK-made tech, pioneered in F1, combines “several pizza-sized boxes” and antennae attached to the roof of the train, allowing it to connect and switch between the best available network, from wifi to 5G to satellite, he said.
“It’s very fast with fewer dropouts.”The system is also being rolled out on Deutsche Bahn services in Germany and on Brightline and Amtrak trains in the US.Sign up to Business TodayGet set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morningafter newsletter promotion“We look forward to providing rail passengers with the same service we provide for Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton,” Fry added.Part of the trial will be to track passenger behaviour to see how much satellite data would be required if free, fast wifi was available for streaming.The £300k cost is being funded by Peninsula Transport, a body combining Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay, with better connectivity seen as a critical investment for parts of England where mobile coverage is patchy.
Businesses have welcomed the trial.Andy Jasper, the chief executive of the Eden Project in Cornwall, said GWR trains were his “travelling office, and a bloodstream between Cornwall and London – new wifi is going to be the oxygen that keeps everything pumping”.Jasper said he was used to having to time conversations onboard for when he knew the wifi would work, such as a quick 10-minute Teams meeting in Plymouth.“Reliable wifi puts your mind at ease – it turns the journey into a prime opportunity to get things done.”
Eli Katoa ruled out of entire 2026 NRL season after head impacts and brain surgery
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The long-awaited R360 threat has finally hit the NRL with Storm fan favourite Ryan Papenhuyzen and Kangaroos three-quarter Zac Lomax quitting their clubs and the sport. While the first salvo has come under the shroud of mystery with neither player revealing their future plans, this war over the elite talent of the NRL is far more likely to escalate than it is to evaporate over the next two years.It is the first truly external threat to the NRL’s hold on its talent in nearly a quarter-century, since a newly professional and cock-a-hoop Rugby Australia (then known as the ARU) used its brief surge in relative popularity – spurred by the public’s disenchantment with rugby league following the Super League War – to sign big-name NRL players Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers and Lote Tuqiri. It is a threat the NRL should take extremely seriously, even if R360’s attempt to sign a host of rugby league stars will not truly cut at the heart of the 13-man game and its ongoing viability.This, of course, is not the first skirmish between the two codes
Money lured Anthony Joshua to circus fight but he could really hurt Jake Paul | Donald McRae
The unsurprising confirmation of “a colossal global showdown” between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua arrived on Monday morning with a dull thud. That grand description of an eight-round scrap between a former YouTuber and a former world heavyweight champion was supplied by Paul’s company, Most Valuable Promotions, which also announced that the contest will be screened live on Netflix on 19 December and called Judgment Day.Boxing operates in a netherworld that appears to have sunk far beyond any fear of judgment, while Paul has always had delusions of grandeur as a novice pro. But even boxing may have to consider its own culpability should Paul be badly hurt and end up in hospital after this fully sanctioned bout with regulation 10oz gloves is held in Miami.Paul is a brilliant hustler and, until now, he has chosen his opponents with deliberate care to avoid excessive danger
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Tourists have a clearly defined identity and optimism, but still need to compete in a manner that earns Australia’s respectWhen Rob Key named Brendon McCullum as England’s head coach in 2022, his quote in the official press release told supporters to “buckle up and get ready for the ride”. Now, with this hot-ticket Ashes series a few days from setting off in sun‑drenched Perth, the mix of fear and excitement among them has arguably never been greater.The difference being that rollercoasters tend to stay on the rails, whereas England tours of Australia often career off them. No one is quite certain which way this one will play out, other than a broad agreement that Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood missing the first Test (at least) presents Ben Stokes and his tourists a golden opportunity.Not that many locals are tipping England
England face wait over fitness of Ollie Lawrence for Argentina Test
England are waiting on the fitness of Ollie Lawrence before their final autumn match with Argentina on Sunday. Lawrence played a major role in the win against the All Blacks on Saturday, but limped off in the closing stages and could be forced to sit out the game at Twickenham. The 26-year-old centre will be assessed when England reconvene on Tuesday after an extra day off.England may also be without Freddie Steward, who was withdrawn midway through the first half against New Zealand with a head injury, as they prepare for 11th successive win and a clean sweep of their autumn fixtures.Lawrence was in fine form against the All Blacks, scoring England’s opening try before teeing up his centre partner, Fraser Dingwall, in the second half
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