[Burn_out]

Good evening everyone.
I am currently travelling on the Hwh-Ndls Rajdhani express and am using their latest offering. FREE WIFI. While using the internet I thought it would be a good idea to post a quick review on the service.
Once you board the train, you would need to turn on your device's wifi and the you should able to locate and connect to IRWIFI. Once you connect it would prompt you to login. All you need to do is register for the service by entering details about yiur PNR, Govt. ID card, email, phone #, seat/coach # and it will sms you your login id and password. Use them to login and enjoy free internet during your journey.
Note : the speed is nothing to be proud about. It will be tough to even stream youtube videos. But considering this is only a pilot test project. Its good enough. Also I did not lose connectivity even once during me 8hr journey.

Hope this helps. Thanks and good night.

[libranof1987]

That is a good step!

Any idea who the provider is?

[akshay4587]

What about the connection quality ,is it consistent?

[Burn_out]

No idea on service provider. Will be returning on the 26th, and will try to get more info.

Connectivity was commendable. Got connection for the entire journey. The speed was not good though.

[dkcrpl]

Good Initiative. Shall it be on all Rajdhani's or on sepcific routes ?

[DerAlte]

IIRC Railways itself is the ISP. This has been available in a lot of trains in North India for a few years now. I remember having used in a train from Delhi to Dehradun back in 2010-11.

[hellmet]

Why do you need a login/password for WiFi onboard something that's moving at greater than 90kmph? Afraid somebody is going to snoop in during those few milliseconds it takes the train to pass you?

Anyway, I'm already pretty pissed with people playing movies on their laptops like they were sitting in their home, forgetting the existence of fellow passengers (trains and even flights). This free wifi thing will only increase these incidents.

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

IIRC Railways itself is the ISP. This has been available in a lot of trains in North India for a few years now. I remember having used in a train from Delhi to Dehradun back in 2010-11.

I don't think that Railways have ever introduced Internet in the trains before.
I frequently use Shatabdi express and in last 7 odd years, never has this feature been available.

[Burn_out]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

I don't think that Railways have ever introduced Internet in the trains before.
I frequently use Shatabdi express and in last 7 odd years, never has this feature been available.

I agree, I came to know about this service from the newspaper. This was touted as a first ever in India. I will try locate the news print and upload.

Below is news clip from TOI.

http://m.timesofindia.com/city/allah...w/19373433.cms

[Motored Mindset]

Originally Posted by hellmet

Why do you need a login/password for WiFi onboard something that's moving at greater than 90kmph?

The latest I.T. Regulations 2009 have taken a very strict view on material posted on the internet that is defamatory in nature (among a wide variety of other circumstances where someone can be held liable). A particular username and password assigned to a user helps in easier tracking of the person responsible for any content that's unlawful.

You can see it now in everyday places like CCD where wifi is now being limited or requiring a registration process first. Its to curb the establishment's liability.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

... in last 7 odd years, never has this feature been available.

Originally Posted by Burn_out

... I will try locate the news print and upload. ...

Don't have such a poor opinion of Indian Railways. Railways laid optical fibre along their tracks the same time as Airtel and Reliance did along highways - some 10 years back. Railways had proposed to contribute as an ISP. But for some id10tic bureaucrats and vested interests, they would have out-priced the others.

And I had found the announcement of availability of Internet from stickers stuck in the Shatabdi AC Chair Car, not from newspapers. Bandwidth was poor (effectively 280kbps or something like that), but WiFi Internet access it definitely was. I remember having used it with an EeePC, since I was traveling light on holiday, and was using cellphone personal hotspot otherwise. Managed to do some email correspondence during the journey.

Maybe the current rollout on Rajdhani is far better.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Don't have such a poor opinion of Indian Railways. Railways laid optical fibre along their tracks the same time .....

Yes, they do have their own optic fiber based network , that's been around for a while
i.e. via http://www.railwire.co.in/content/tariffs.html

However I too have never heard of them offering wifi on the go inside the train in the past. Wonder why they did not broadcast this news.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

... Wonder why they did not broadcast this news.

Possible reasons:
1. They won't publicize a service without systems in place
2. Trial runs take a long time
3. A microscopic % of passengers would use it anyhow, till the geeky younger generation takes over

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Don't have such a poor opinion of Indian Railways.

I have by no means "a poor opinion of Indian Railway". One of the world's greatest Rail Networks.
I only tried to state the fact to the best of my knowledge.
It is possible that this service was not tried on the routes I use.

[Ragul]

Does the Rajdhani have charging points with 230 volts for mobile charger?

--R