How to transmit a wifi signal in fixed-route taxis. Mosgortrans_Free: free Wi-Fi appeared on four Moscow routes

Net for Bus 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 Evgeny Korznikov told "Paper", how he sold the Internet on the train, how much does it cost to equip a bus with Wi-Fi, and why it is difficult for the team to find an investor.

Evgeny Korznikov

CEO Net for Bus

Why did the Wi-Fi on the bus start with the train?

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

I came here and started thinking about how to implement such a project. I talked with router manufacturers, began to study what a startup is. Then I registered the company Net for Bus: for this I came to the Ingria business incubator, told about the idea, and two days later I was told that I was going through 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 the implementation of this project, so it helps us, for example, with contacts. Now we are working on finding an investor, but at the moment there is no one that would offer normal conditions. We need to figure out how we will monetize this project, because it costs about 20 thousand rubles to equip one bus.

We now have several directions. First: the installation of Wi-Fi points in offices and shops, we are laying a 4G channel. Second: we work with one a large network, which has about 65 stores in the Northwest. 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, a passenger traffic system, which in automatic mode keeps a count of passengers entering and leaving and transmits this information to the operator in the fleet. Now we have launched it on one of the bus routes Gatchina - Petersburg. While we have installed Wi-Fi on one bus, we are launching nine more by the end of the week, and by 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 tourist, which runs on intercity and international destinations... After the New Year, we are starting to work in Finland: we want to equip about 40 buses, but there access to Wi-Fi will be paid.

Companies, of course, do not really want to contact a startup, but the services that 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 has already addressed himself.

About ten tram routes with Wi-Fi have been launched around the city, but these are more image projects. There is equipment that works on 3G, but we work 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 abnormal situations with the equipment, but usually we configure it remotely. For this, a router is not necessary: ​​we can remotely connect to it, reboot, see that the requirements are met everywhere.

I go almost every day on the route where the Wi-Fi hotspot is installed, mostly people positive reviews because it takes a whole hour to go.

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

To bookmarks

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

How does the Wi-Fi equipment work on the bus?

This is a special device (you can call it a hub), which contains up to 8 sim-cards of operators of those countries in which our buses make 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 distribution of Wi-Fi in the bus. They operate at two 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz frequencies in the main wireless standards. The same devices (access points) collect and analyze information about the quality of the connection or the 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 connection (or file download) speed can be very different for two people connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Where is the main hub located?

The location of the main hub differs depending on the model of the bus and the year of its launch. As a rule, it is located at the beginning or in the middle 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... Power is also needed for its various components. For example, due to the difference in batteries, the voltage supplied in minibuses (12 V) is different from that supplied in large cars for 54 passengers (24 V). And this also makes its own adjustments to the installation of Wi-Fi devices.

It's no secret that Wi-Fi doesn't work perfectly along the way. What factors can affect network outages?

It could be like this internal factors, both malfunction or congestion of the network, and external - for example, bad weather or interruptions at the telecom operator. You need to understand that when the bus is moving, there is a constant change base stations operator (it's even difficult to name their exact number), and whether they all work equally well is still a question. And, if we talk about a really uninterrupted Internet on the bus, then you need good operator communication with a confident 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. We used to have data traffic restrictions. Now they have been removed, 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-Petersburg route, some passengers watched an online football match between Russia and Spain.

The passengers of this bus watched the victorious football match between the Russian national team and Spain. The funny thing is that the country of production of the bus 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 kind of equipment that is designed for such a load. Although with 54 passengers on the network, the connection speed can slow down, especially if the transfer of "heavy" data begins. In this case, a lot depends on the telecom operator and the signal strength from its network. I can say for sure that there will be no problems in the urban area in the “everything online” situation, while outside the city you will notice a drop in speed. In doing so, we rely on the reasonableness of our passengers in relation to the use of traffic volume.

Are there any weak points in the bus, where the passenger will not have a perfect connection to the network?

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

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

For open space technical characteristics equipment has a maximum communication range of 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, drivers of other buses or cars often take advantage of this opportunity on the border between Russia and other countries.

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

Igor Ivanov

Is there any specificity in the work of Wi-Fi on the territory different countries? Or when crossing the border from one country to another?

The equipment switches automatically between telecom operators of different countries - up to three different operators can work at the same time.

As for the border, for example, the Estonian and Russian operators can work together until the bus is within the coverage of these networks. If, for some reason, when crossing the border, switching to another network did not happen automatically, then the driver is simply required to restart the device.

What other progress can be made in the development of Wi-Fi on board the bus?

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

Free Wi-Fi has appeared on Moscow buses since Monday, although so far only in test mode and only on four routes of the State Unitary Enterprise "Mosgortrans". Passengers who have already got used to free wireless internet in the metro and at stops public transport, were able to evaluate the innovation together with the RIAMO correspondent.

Do you have wi-fi?

On February 1, 2016, the first buses with free Internet access entered the streets of the capital. The wireless network is available for passengers of semi-express trains No. 902, which runs from Kievsky railway station to the south-west of Moscow, No. 904, which runs from Belorussky railway station to Mitin, as well as on the night bus No. H1, which runs to Sheremetyevo airport, and route No. 1002, which operates in New Moscow.

In the first bus on route 904, an Internet access point was found, but understand that vehicle really equipped with free wifi, not so easy. There are only three stickers with information about the possibility of connecting to the free Internet in the cabin, which does not "catch the eye" of the passenger. At the same time, each of them has a technical support phone number that any passenger can call in case of connection problems.

"I was lucky that I saw a sticker with information about free Wi-Fi connection, because I sat next to this sticker," - said one of the passengers.

Simple but slow

The procedure for connecting to the Internet operates on the bus according to the same principle as in the Moscow metro. When connecting for the first time, you must leave your phone number, to which you receive a confirmation code within 1-2 minutes, you must enter it in the empty field that will appear in the browser window after sending an SMS to the number.

The authorization turned out to be simple and fast, which cannot be said about the speed of the Internet. According to the Yandex Internetmeter service, the incoming connection speed did not exceed 0.95 megabits per second, and the outgoing speed did not exceed 0.88 megabits per second. At the same time, according to the version of the SpeedTest Internet application, the incoming speed reached only 0.59 megabits per second, while the outgoing speed was 1.07 megabits per second.

Meanwhile, according to the press service of "Mosgortrans", the connection speed reaches 10 megabits per second. In general, there are no problems when viewing social networks and news on the Internet, but in order to view the video, you will have to be patient and wait until it is downloaded.

Useful service

Of the ten passengers on route 904 surveyed, only three knew about the availability of free Wi-Fi on the bus. At the same time, opinions about the new function differ.

"To be honest, I found out that free Wi-Fi appeared on my route, not by accident, but only after purposefully searching the Internet for information about the implementation of such a project on Moscow buses," said Maxim, a Moscow student.

According to him, this service is very relevant for him. “Often on the way to college you need to prepare for a couple, in this case the Internet is irreplaceable. It's great when you can connect to free Wi-Fi to solve such goals, because the network is not caught everywhere, and it costs money. Faster would be to connect all of Moscow's transport to such a service, "- says the young man.

As noted by another passenger Marina, wireless Internet access, in her opinion, will be in demand only on "long" routes.

“It seems to me that it is great that people have more and more opportunities to be sociable anywhere in the city. I actively use social networks, so the ability to watch updates in them in any type of transport seriously makes life easier, "the girl shared.

Passengers "disappeared"

Photo: RIAMO, Tatiana Korobeinik

However, not all passengers share the joy of Internet penetration into all areas of life. According to the observation of one of the passengers, the number of people reading in transport has significantly decreased recently.

“Just look how few people with books are sitting on public transport today. I don't see anything useful on the free Internet on the bus, this will further alienate young people from books. middle-aged people, too, just disappeared into their mobile devices, "- complained the agency's interlocutor.

Mosgortrans plans to test free Wi-Fi in buses until April 2016. After passengers test the innovation, a decision will be made on the further introduction of free Wi-Fi on the rolling stock.

Anton Shamarin

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Until the end of the year, seamless Wi-Fi access to the World Wide Web will work in all buses, trams and trolleybuses of the city.

Passengers of the metro and ground public transport will be able to use the uniform high-speed free Internet from October 11. The seamless zone extends to the Moscow Metro, and also works on all buses, trams and trolleybuses. Thus, the largest seamless Wi-Fi space in public transport in Europe has been created in the capital.

“Access to the network for passengers is provided throughout the entire journey, regardless of the number of transfers between the metro and surface transport. The formation of such a single space is an example of fruitful cooperation between business and the city, which is aimed at creating comfortable public transport in Moscow, ”said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow, the head.

How to connect

To connect to free Wi-Fi both in the metro and in land transport it is necessary to pass identification. You need to confirm the number mobile phone or log in through the government services portal. At the same time, users who have already passed identification in the Wi-Fi network do not have to do it again.

Every day, up to three million connections are made to Wi-Fi in the Moscow metro, and 70 terabytes of traffic per day are transmitted through the network itself. Each train is connected to the network at a speed of up to 100 megabits per second - there is no such service in any city in the world. Internet access points are located in each carriage. Thus, more than five thousand cars were equipped. 900 base stations have been installed in the metro tunnels and 880 kilometers of fiber-optic cable have been laid.

Where does it work

Free Wi-Fi in the capital's terrestrial city passenger transport more than one million unique users already use it. Since the launch of the project, access to the network has been provided in 7250 buses, trolleybuses and trams of the State Unitary Enterprise “Mosgortrans”. Until the end of the year, the Internet will work in all rolling stock of the city.

You can also connect to Wi-Fi in Moscow at 450 ground transport stops. They are located near metro stations, bus stations, railway platforms and other objects popular with Muscovites.

Free of charge wireless network in the Moscow Metro was recognized by the International Association of Wireless Operators Wireless Broadband Alliance as the world's best implementation of Wi-Fi technology in urban space in 2015.

Svetlogorsk city buses now have the opportunity to use the Wi-Fi network free of charge 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 outwardly do not give out their technological filling in any way, but soon stickers should appear on them, informing about the presence of Wi-Fi in each specific bus.

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

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

Step 1. If your smartphone has automatic notification about the possibility of connecting to a new Wi-Fi networks, then the phone itself will prompt you to connect. If no such notification is received, then you can go to Wi-Fi settings and manually connect to desired network... On all buses, the network we need is called the same - GomelAvto Free Wi-Fi.

You can connect to this network without a password. Therefore, if everything is done correctly, you will be redirected to the welcome page from JSC "Gomeloblavtotrans".

Step 2. On the welcome page, we are asked to enter a mobile phone number to receive an 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 be obtained only by passing the identification of a person. This can be done in several ways, including through a mobile phone number.

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

Step 3. A new window will open prompting 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, the phone number was entered incorrectly), press the button "Back to receiving the code" and repeat Step 2.

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

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

Step 5... ALL! Are you connected to global network the Internet. If you have not gone online for a long time, then you will start receiving messages from all messengers, notifications of likes on Instagram and other amenities. But to surf the web pages, you need to minimize the connection window and go to the browser, because, alas, you will not be able to go to your favorite site through the connection window.

In a browser or other applications, you can freely and habitually browse Internet pages, communicate in in social networks and messengers. Also at the time of testing, I was free to watch videos on YouTube. Of course, I was the only one in the cabin who knew about the availability of 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, then you will enjoy high speeds is unlikely to succeed.

Negative moment

The only one negative point it became the fact that the equipment distributing Wi-Fi can turn on for a long time after turning on the ignition or starting the bus (up to 10 minutes).

What it looks like in practice: the bus starts up after a sludge at the final stop, at this time the equipment turns on. The bus can travel several stops or even half the route (they are small in our city) before Wi-Fi is fully operational. But, I think, the drivers themselves are interested so that everything works always and without interruption). Practice will show.

Instead of a conclusion

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

Speeds on this stage quite enough to comfortably communicate in social media. networks to all passengers of the bus (but this is if you do not watch the video). The connection signal is strong and stable.

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

Testil: Grigory Polessky.

 

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