Mosgortrans_Free: free Wi-Fi has appeared on four Moscow routes. We tested how free Wi-Fi works on buses

To modern man It is no longer possible to imagine life without the Internet. Every day we spend a lot of time in the subway, buses, trams and trolleybuses. Since access to information is required continuously, the topic of Wi-Fi connectivity in public transport is becoming increasingly relevant.

How it works?

Wi-Fi signal propagation differs between surface and underground transport.

In buses, trams and trolleybuses, Wi-Fi uses the same principle of a home router, with the only difference being that in transport a more powerful router is installed that receives the signal from the operator. Check out the prices and compare the characteristics of different Wi-Fi routers can be found at http://aport.ru/wifi_routery/ccid546.

In the metro, the implementation of wireless Internet is much more difficult - the depth of installation and metal structures affect the signal. Therefore, a router is installed on the metro train, and network devices responsible for connecting to the Internet are located at stations and stages. This ensures an uninterrupted connection to the network, since when leaving the coverage area of ​​one transmitter, the router immediately enters the coverage area of ​​another. It is also worth noting that the routers themselves, which can be quite powerful, are also different.

Where is this already working?

Free points Wi-Fi access installed on more than 1,500 vehicles in the capital. Over 800 units of rolling stock in St. Petersburg are equipped with them, and this number is constantly growing due to the popularity of the service. In other regions of public transport with free connection access to the Internet is much less, but growth is also noted here.

Access to the Internet appears not only in the transport itself, but also at stops and stations. Since Russia will host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, there will be even more Wi-Fi hotspots, which will help foreign guests find their way around. You can find out where to connect to the Internet by stickers with the generally accepted Wi-Fi symbol.

Residents of megacities, traveling long distances around the city, can continue to work or have fun on social networks right in transport. It is impossible not to notice that such an innovation brings great benefits. After all, a network of sensors is added to the Wi-Fi infrastructure, which collects a lot of data about the environment.

In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, free Wi-Fi has appeared on three bus routes since February. True, to connect to it you need an account on the Unified Identification and Logistics Portal (portal public services). Users first need to register on the government services website, then verify their identity at the MFC or other territorial citizen service center in Kamchatka. So far, the regional project, implemented on the basis of public-private partnership (with the participation of the Kamchatka telecom operator InterKamService LLC), has installed access points in five Kamchatka buses.

And in Kazan last fall, the Vostochny bus station launched “student” buses to Naberezhnye Chelny and in the opposite direction. The ticket price does not differ from regular intercity flights on this route. But its “advantages” for students are obvious: 1) the transport is new – manufactured in 2017; 2) the route itself runs along universities and dormitories; 3) Wi-Fi and air conditioning work on the bus; 4) every tenth trip is free. You just need to pre-book your seat and present your student ID upon boarding. However, there are also negative reviews that the bus sometimes travels instead of the estimated two and a half to three hours (the average travel time between these cities) but four and a half.

It is no exaggeration to say that installing Wi-Fi routers in public transport is not only convenient, but also very useful for the development of the urban environment as a whole.

The material was prepared with the support of the price comparison site Aport.ru

Svetlogorsk city buses now have the opportunity to use the Wi-Fi network for free to connect to the global web.

Wi-Fi equipment is installed on more than 60% of buses involved in urban passenger transportation. So the opportunity to ride on a bus that distributes “free” Internet is quite high. So far, the buses do not outwardly reveal their technological content, but soon they should have stickers indicating the presence of Wi-Fi on each specific bus.

I rode several city buses to test and understand how the innovation works. I will outline my experience of using it step by step to make it more clear what to do and in what order. Testing was carried out on an iPhone smartphone. Perhaps on Android devices some windows or steps will be slightly different from those presented in the article, but I think you will succeed too!

How to connect to Wi-Fi on a bus (instructions with photos)

Step 1. If your smartphone has automatic notification of the possibility of connecting to a new Wi-Fi network, then the phone itself will offer you to connect. If you do not receive such a notification, you can go to Wi-Fi settings and manually connect to the desired network. In all buses, the network we need is called the same - GomelAvto Free Wi-Fi.

Connection to this network occurs without a password. Therefore, if everything is done correctly, you will be redirected to the welcome page from Gomeloblavtotrans OJSC.

Step 2. On the welcome page we are asked to enter a number mobile phone to receive the access code. This procedure is completely free.

What is it for. In Belarus there is a law according to which access to the Internet can only be obtained after personal identification. This can be done in several ways, including through a mobile phone number.

After entering the phone number, click the “Get code” button and after a few seconds you will receive a message from Velcom with a 4-digit digital code.

Step 3. A new window will open asking you to enter the received code. There shouldn't be any difficulties here. Enter the code and click the “Login” button. If for some reason it was not possible to receive the code (for example, you entered the phone number incorrectly), click the “Back to receiving code” button and repeat Step 2.

If this step is completed correctly, then you will again see the familiar picture with the greeting from Gomeloblavtotrans OJSC.

Step 4. At the top of the window, click the “Done” button. At this moment we see that the phone is disconnected from mobile transmission data (in my case it’s 3G) and switches to a Wi-Fi connection. The first website that you will see after connecting to Wi-Fi will be the official website of JSC Gomeloblavtotrans. (Apparently this increases the traffic and rating of this site)))

Step 5. ALL! You are connected to global network Internet. If you haven’t been online for a long time, you will start receiving messages from all instant messengers, notifications about likes on Instagram and other amenities. But to surf web pages, you need to minimize the connection window and go to the browser, because, unfortunately, you won’t be able to access your favorite site through the connection window.

In a browser or other applications, you can freely and normally view Internet pages, communicate in in social networks and messengers. Also, at the time of testing, I could freely watch videos on YouTube. Of course, I was the only one in the salon who knew about the availability free internet on the bus, and therefore the entire access speed (1 Mb/s per bus) was mine. If you divide the connection speed between at least 10 passengers, you will hardly be able to enjoy high speeds.

Negative point

The only one negative point The problem is that equipment distributing Wi-Fi can take quite a long time to start working after turning on the ignition or starting the bus (up to 10 minutes).

How it looks in practice: the bus starts after stopping at the final stop, at which time the equipment is turned on. The bus can travel several stops or even half the route (in our city they are small) before Wi-Fi is fully operational. But I think the drivers themselves are interested in ensuring that everything works always and without interruptions). Practice will show.

Instead of a conclusion

The technology and connection method seemed quite convenient to us. I was also pleased with the fact that when moving from one bus to another, you can reconnect without unnecessary movements - Wi-Fi is picked up automatically as a familiar network (if, of course, the corresponding setting is activated).

The speed at this stage is quite enough to communicate comfortably on social media. networks to all bus passengers (but that’s if you don’t watch the video). The connection signal is strong and stable.

Anyway modern technologies They are slowly reaching our city, making the life of Svetlogorsk residents a little more pleasant and convenient.

Tested by: Grigory Polessky.

Bus route between St. Petersburg and Helsinki. Speed ​​100 km/h. There is Wi-Fi on board the bus (and even outside). How does this happen?

To bookmarks

Technical and other details are revealed by Igor Ivanov, service specialist Russian division international bus carrier Lux Express Group.

How does Wi-Fi equipment work on a bus?

This is a special device (you can call it a hub), which contains up to 8 SIM cards from operators of those countries in which our buses operate their routes. The equipment is equipped with special modems - they are responsible for connecting to the desired telecom operator using antennas located on the roof of the bus.

But that is not all. Other devices are connected to the main hub, providing direct Wi-Fi distribution inside the bus. They operate on two frequencies 2.4 GHz/5 GHz in the main wireless standards. These same devices (access points) collect and analyze information about the quality of the connection or interruptions that have occurred, monitor all connected devices, and distribute the Internet connection to multimedia systems installed near each passenger seat.

The final connection speed always depends on the user's device, so the speed of the connection (or downloading a file) can be very different between two people connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Where is the main hub?

Depending on the model of the bus and the year it entered the line, the location of the main hub differs. As a rule, it is located at the beginning or middle part of the bus, but the essence or functionality of the devices practically does not depend on the location. The main thing when installing equipment is its privacy and the possibility of quick access for the driver or technician. It also requires power for its various components. For example, due to differences in batteries, the voltage supplied in minibuses (12 V) is different from that supplied in big cars for 54 passengers (24 V). And this also makes adjustments to the installation of Wi-Fi devices.

It's no secret that Wi-Fi does not work perfectly along the entire route. What factors can influence network outages?

It could be like this internal factors, both network failure or congestion, and external ones - for example, bad weather or interruptions at the telecom operator. You need to understand that when the bus moves, the operator’s base stations constantly change (it’s even difficult to name their exact number), and whether they all work equally well is another question. And, if we talk about really uninterrupted Internet on the bus, then you need a good telecom operator with a reliable signal along the entire route.

It is worth noting that over the past couple of years we have managed to ensure that passengers can watch videos and even live broadcasts. Previously, we had data traffic restrictions. They have now been filmed and streaming is open. Now you can safely watch videos in applications such as Youtube or Facebook. And recently, according to our employees, on the Tallinn-St. Petersburg route, some passengers watched a football match between Russia and Spain online.

The passengers of this bus watched the victorious football match of the Russian national team with Spain. The funny thing is that the country where the bus was produced is Spain.

If all 54 passengers connect to the network, how will the equipment react? Is it designed for such a load?

Yes, we select exactly the equipment that is designed for such a load. Although, with 54 passengers on the network, the connection speed may slow down, especially if heavy data transfer begins. In this case, much depends on the telecom operator and the strength of the signal from its network. I can say for sure that in the city limits in a “everything online” situation there will be no problems, while outside the city you will notice a drop in speed. At the same time, we hope that our passengers will be reasonable regarding the use of traffic volume.

Are there any weak spots inside the bus, where the passenger's network connection will not be ideal?

There is no such place on the bus; most often problems arise from the side mobile devices when trying to connect. For example, it may not see the network, or give a connection error - in such cases, rebooting the user’s device or Internet equipment on the bus helps, or, as a last resort, changing the Internet access device, for example, a tablet or laptop instead of a phone.

What is the coverage area of ​​Wi-Fi from the bus?

For open space technical characteristics equipment specified maximum range communications 122 meters. Of course, this value cannot be applied to our buses, but within a radius of 10 meters from the bus you can definitely connect to the network. For example, often on the border between Russia and other countries, drivers of other buses or cars take advantage of this opportunity.

During the first half of this year, more than 10 terabytes of Internet traffic were used on our buses in Russia

Igor Ivanov

Are there any specifics to the operation of Wi-Fi on site? different countries? Or when moving at the border from one country to another?

The equipment switches automatically between telecom operators in different countries - up to three different operators can work simultaneously.

Regarding the border, for example, Estonian and Russian operators can work together as long as the bus is within the coverage area of ​​these networks. If for some reason, when crossing the border, switching to another network does not occur automatically, then the driver is simply required to reboot the device.

What further progress can be made in developing Wi-Fi on board the bus?

We are looking forward to the development of 5G networks, but, unfortunately, this does not depend on us. In principle, we try to follow the latest technologies in this matter as much as possible. As for the wireless Internet, perhaps the best progress in development will be if each user gets what he expected from Wi-Fi and is satisfied with its use. And it will be important for us if, while watching movies, reading or working, the passenger does not notice the time it takes to travel from one city to another. That is, he will feel teleportation.

The Net for Bus company is installing Wi-Fi in city buses and by the end of the year plans to launch the Internet on all routes connecting St. Petersburg and Gatchina. The founder of the project, Evgeniy Korznikov, told "Paper", how to sell the Internet on a train, how much it costs to equip a bus with Wi-Fi, and why it’s difficult for the team to find an investor.

Evgeny Korznikov

CEO of Net for Bus

Why Wi-Fi on the bus started with the train

The idea came to me on May 12, I was traveling on a train from Perm to St. Petersburg. My phone died, but I had a tablet and a router with a flash drive. Since there was an outlet in the carriage, I connected the router there. Only an hour had passed since we left, and the neighbor across the street asked if it was possible to connect to the Internet, I said: connect. Then the neighbor across the aisle also asks: “Can I connect?”, Well, without thinking twice I say: “100 rubles.” He: “Yes, no problem.” And gives me money. Then I went to the conductor, took a piece of paper, wrote that I was giving away the Internet to St. Petersburg for 100 rubles.

I came here and began to think about how to implement such a project. I talked to router manufacturers and began to study what a startup is. Then I registered the company Net for Bus: for this I came to the Ingria business incubator, talked about the idea, and after two days they told me that I was passing and could become a resident.

How the Net for Bus project works

I wrote a letter to the Transport Committee, Poltavchenko. The Transport Committee is interested in implementing this project, so it helps us, for example, with contacts. We are currently working on finding an investor, but this moment there is no one who would suggest normal conditions. We need to figure out how we will monetize this project, because equipping one bus costs about 20 thousand rubles.

Now we have several directions. First: installing Wi-Fi points in offices and stores; we are laying a 4G channel. Second: we work with one large chain that has about 65 stores in the North-West. After the New Year, we will also install equipment with Wi-Fi points for them. Well, the main thing is buses. This includes the installation of Wi-Fi points, a video surveillance system, and a passenger flow system that automatically counts passengers entering and exiting and transmits this information to the operator in the park. We have now launched this on one of the Gatchina - St. Petersburg bus routes. So far we have installed Wi-Fi on one bus, by the end of the week we are launching nine more, and before the New Year we will try to equip all buses - there are about 55 of them.

We focus on passenger carriers of urban transport, as well as tourism, which runs intercity and international destinations. After the New Year, we start working in Finland: we want to equip about 40 buses, but access to Wi-Fi there will be paid.

Companies, of course, don’t really want to get involved with a startup, but the services we provide are in demand by passenger carriers. We were introduced to the first carrier with whom we began to cooperate, and the second one found out about us and already contacted us.

About ten tram routes with Wi-Fi have been launched around the city, but these are more image projects. There is equipment there that operates on 3G, but we operate at a higher speed. We have industrial routers, their speed is from 40 to 70 megabits. Passengers have a standard speed of 512 kilobits per second with a 1-2 megabit subscription.

There are emergency situations with equipment, but we usually set it up remotely. You don’t necessarily need a router for this: we can connect to it remotely, reboot it, and see that the requirements are met everywhere.

Almost every day I travel on a route where a Wi-Fi point is installed, mostly at people’s positive reviews, because it takes an hour to drive.

Today, February 1, the first buses with free access to the Internet. Wireless network available for passengers of semi-express trains No. 902 and 904, on night bus No. H1 and route No. 1002, operating in New Moscow.

The presence of Wi-Fi in transport is indicated by special stickers placed in the cabin. You can connect to the Internet using any subscriber device. To do this, you need to select Mosgortr ans_Free from the list of available Wi-Fi networks and go through SMS authorization. Subsequent connections will be made automatically. Internet speed is up to 10 megabits per second.

“Today a major project was launched in the capital, which is designed to make ground transport more attractive, and trips on it even more convenient and comfortable for citizens. Constant access to the network will allow each passenger to spend time usefully on the road - chat with friends on social networks, write letters for work, get the necessary information on the Internet. I would like to note that by the end of the year, Wi-Fi will cover all buses, trolleybuses and trams that run daily on 800 Moscow routes,” said CEO State Unitary Enterprise "Mosgortrans" Evgeny Mikhailov.

Let's remember last year wireless Internet appeared at 450 stops of ground urban transport in Moscow. Connect to free network Mosgortr ans_Free is available at popular stopping points near metro stations, bus stations and railway platforms.

For information

The service will operate in test mode until April 2016. For questions regarding Wi-Fi operation on Moscow ground transport, passengers can contact hotline: 8-495-988-80-60.

The first routes with Internet access:

No. 902 “11th microdistrict. Solntseva ‒ Kyiv Station"

No. 904 “4th microdistrict. Mitina ‒ Belorussky Station"

No. 1002 “Metro “Troparevo” - Kyiv (village)”

No. H1 (night route) “Ozernaya Street - Sheremetyevo Airport”.