How do I access the free wi-fi?

[spacecowboy150]

I dont know why bother with public transport wifi its always really slow and even when it isnt slow its still slow because loads of people use it at the same time

[Sh4318]

I think hardly anyone uses them end to end. When you get to Snow Hill in the evening peak most of the train near enough empties and a new load of passengers get on. Most people make short journeys on there similar to short journeys on a bus I would guess. Those 172s don't have tables either so not much space for working on a laptop.
It might even be not many use the West Midlands Railway wifi either, I don't know?

As someone who lives on the Snow Hill line and used to travel to Worcester for the Uni, I personally used the WiFi regularly, the signal between Kidderminster and Droitwich isn't the best either

My point is, you're more likely to work on a laptop on a train than a bus

[suavegarv]

I wonder if other bus companies will do the same,if they haven't already?

[Tony]

I wonder if other bus companies will do the same,if they haven't already?

Stagecoach took it of most buses ages ago

[frostjay974]

I know it is going soon but where is the wifi actually kept in the buses. Does every bus each have its own router or are they all hooked up to a server?

[Stu]

I know it is going soon but where is the wifi actually kept in the buses. Does every bus each have its own router or are they all hooked up to a server?

I don't know for certain, but each vehicle will have some kind of wireless router that then connects to a mobile broadband network.

What happens beyond that I don't know. Any setup would be the same as used by train or coach operators, maybe they do use a VPN into a central server, I wouldn't know.

[metrocity]

Cost, at a guess.

Perhaps the provider is increasing their usage costs, and NX aren't prepared to absorb these any further.

(Nothing is ever truly 'free', someone is paying for it elsewhere!)

Or maybe the service is being used and abused by too many people, so by making it chargeable it is fairer on those who need to use it.

Oh well then clearly its not worth the cost of providing this service if passengers don't use it.

Most mobile phone contracts come with huge amounts of data allowance, and many people have 4G/5G phones with fast mobile data connections, so a 'limited' free Wi-Fi service probably isn't that appealing any more.

I can understand coaches and trains having free wi-fi for longer distance journeys, but I never really saw the point of this on local bus journeys.

Maybe now bus operators will realise that 'gimmicks' such as these aren't what attracts people to use buses after all!

They used to be very popular 10 years ago but in recent years as you point out, mobile data allowances are much more flexible now

[windy miller]

   I have a combined land line AND broadband contract with EE  (formerly BT) which will allow me to access Their Wi Fi  but ONLY in my own home...... if I chose to use their wifi anywhere else I would be asked to pay around £5 for an hour and a lot more for  longer periods........ As I'm still not familiar with this "Wi Fi" business can someone explain to me which Wi Fi App is best suited for chasing realtime train information?? (Presumably free)  many thanks 

[the trainbasher]

I have a combined land line AND broadband contract with EE  (formerly BT) which will allow me to access Their Wi Fi  but ONLY in my own home...... if I chose to use their wifi anywhere else I would be asked to pay around £5 for an hour and a lot more for  longer periods........ As I'm still not familiar with this "Wi Fi" business can someone explain to me which Wi Fi App is best suited for chasing realtime train information?? (Presumably free)  many thanks

If you use the EE wifi network when out and about, you get it completely free as a BT Broadband customer (I should know, am a BT broadband customer too).

Look for the network EE Wifi (where avaliable), and then select Login and BT Broadband customer to login and get free wifi.

[windy miller]

If you use the EE wifi network when out and about, you get it completely free as a BT Broadband customer (I should know, am a BT broadband customer too).

Look for the network EE Wifi (where avaliable), and then select Login and BT Broadband customer to login and get free wifi.

Many thanks TB   appreciated

[windy miller]

  Hi TB... I think maybe I would need to register my smartphone as 
  an inclusive to my land line/broadband contract?   I cant imagine 
  BT will allow me to use their WiFi as my smartphone has a Vodafone sim payg  
   I may be wrong?  Incidentally  I have had an E mail from BT to say they propose to make all copper connections obsolete from April and adopt a digital alternative  They have said
 They intend to hold a public Q/A at New St station between 10am and 3pm  February 7th
  I propose to be there about 12 o clock... should be interesting

[the trainbasher]

Hi TB... I think maybe I would need to register my smartphone as
  an inclusive to my land line/broadband contract?  I cant imagine
  BT will allow me to use their WiFi as my smartphone has a Vodafone sim payg 
  I may be wrong?  Incidentally  I have had an E mail from BT to say they propose to make all copper connections obsolete from April and adopt a digital alternative  They have said
 They intend to hold a public Q/A at New St station between 10am and 3pm  February 7th
  I propose to be there about 12 o clock... should be interesting

It doesn't matter if you're using a phone on another network as long as you are a BT broadband customer (I'm on Vodafone myself for mobile, but as a BT Broadband customer, I can still connect to the EE Wifi public network - its based on your BT Broadband account login as per screenshots attached)

[windy miller]

 Many thanks I am more confident now I have no problems with PC usage and I have a 
  certificate to prove it  (CDL)  but I dont seem to have the same mentality for smarties!
  I also Have a Publisher suite on my PC which enables me to print documents and add /remove photos and create my own personal choice of publications with my own images it should also be possible in most cases to 'lift' images from the net if the image(s) are designated common use.  The BT Q&A Will be held at the IBIS hotel (New st) (not New st station) on the 7th Feb  10-3pm