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Comments on news posted 2013-07-09 18:14:14: On the heels of announcements by Amtrak that they'll be upgrading their notoriously iffy on-train Wi-Fi service, Greyhound now says they'll be improving Wi-Fi options on their busses in order to upscale a travel option that's traditionally seen as ra.. ..

Jim_in_VA (banned)
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA

Jim_in_VA (banned)

Member

the last time ...

I took a Greyhound bus was in 1969 when the draft board sent me to Richmond, Va for a physical. My how times have changed. (yeah, I'm a geezer)

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Greyhound WiFi internet using 3G/4G cell connections

It hasn't been spelled out in any of the news releases by Greyhound, but the "internet access part" of the onboard entertainment experience uses 3G/4G cellphone access to provide connectivity. A bus full of people using WiFi to access the internet, as opposed to the videos & music media server onboard the bus, will see slow access. If they want internet access, they are better off using their own devices cellphone connection. If they want to watch video from the onboard media server, by all means WiFi is the way to go.
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

patt2k

Member

Sprint = no no

when I was on greyhound from Hardford to NY and from NY to Hardtford,they had wifi true but it was on Sprints 3G it was very slow I just tethered my Verizon phone and charged it on the bus.

So much better.

Metatron2008
You're it
Premium Member
join:2008-09-02
united state

Metatron2008 to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5

Re: Greyhound WiFi internet using 3G/4G cell connections

Obviously, there is no way to get a hardline on buses/trains/planes/etc, and cable/dsl/fiber doesn't have enough wifi to supply the entire trip..

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5
Assuming this works the same as Lufthansa aircraft systems, it's a combo of stored content (magazines, movies, music, maps shopping etc.) with some 3g/4g enhancement (ie some services may be limited) and or INTERNET connectivity may be extra.
It's mainly about the Wi'Fi allowing passengers to use their own device instead of the seatback screens on airplanes and buses are just low flying/cheap aircraft (potentially faster for short haul city pairs)
Justin024
join:2010-08-11
Atlanta, GA

Justin024

Member

WiFi?

Do people that ride the Greyhound know what WiFi is?

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

1 recommendation

Karl Bode to Metatron2008

News Guy

to Metatron2008

Re: Greyhound WiFi internet using 3G/4G cell connections

Surely there's a spooled coax/bendable fiber mechanism you could attach right to the back of the bus?

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to Justin024

Premium Member

to Justin024

Re: WiFi?

said by Justin024:

Do people that ride the Greyhound know what WiFi is?

Even poor people know what WiFi is if they have ever watched TV.
Jim_in_VA (banned)
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA

Jim_in_VA (banned) to Justin024

Member

to Justin024
hey ... be nice
ShellMMG
join:2009-04-16
Grass Lake, MI

ShellMMG

Member

Have WiFi Will Travel

Amtrak's Wolverine line (Detroit to Chicago) doesn't have wifi, is never on time for arrivals or departures, and has an accident at least every other month. Government waste and incompetency at its finest.

Megabus usually has WiFi. They've been eating Greyhound's lunch with cheaper rates and better times.

chip89
Premium Member
join:2012-07-05
Columbia Station, OH

chip89 to Metatron2008

Premium Member

to Metatron2008

Re: Greyhound WiFi internet using 3G/4G cell connections

Tt can be done for trains I know here the trains downtown get power off overhead lines.

GlennLouEarl
3 brothers, 1 gone
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Richmond, VA

GlennLouEarl to Justin024

Premium Member

to Justin024

Re: WiFi?

Most of them check the bus schedules using an app on their smartphones.

vpoko
Premium Member
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA

vpoko

Premium Member

Rather obvious

"Traditionally, Sprint has used Sprint for their Wi-Fi connections..."

But what about Greyhound?

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby to patt2k

Member

to patt2k

Re: Sprint = no no

The flight system 'gogo internet' used in the US, mostly uses a single 3 Mbps EVDO rev.B connection, for the whole plane.

I have used it a few times, it mostly works.
toby

1 recommendation

toby to vpoko

Member

to vpoko

Re: Rather obvious

said by vpoko:

"Traditionally, Sprint has used Sprint for their Wi-Fi connections..."

But what about Greyhound?

They used Amtrack.

fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium Member
join:2005-07-01
Palm Springs, CA
Hitron EN2251
Nest H2D

fuziwuzi

Premium Member

In Shanghai

In the last year, Shanghai has installed Wi-Fi on their city buses and most of the Metro subway system. It works rather well, and as long as I use VPN on my cellphone, I can use Facebook and email and watch Youtube videos easily. As I look around, almost everyone onboard has their phone or tablet out and probably connected (since data plans are notoriously expensive).

How do they do it so well when we can't?

Rambo76098
join:2003-02-21
Columbus, OH

Rambo76098

Member

Would they though?

Would people that are riding a Greyhound bus really all have a smartphone? In a pinch, I for sure would be dropping my smartphone before I'd give up personal transportation and ride the bus.

I can see some people having flip or brick phones and an iPad or Kindle that would appreciate this service.

Sarah

join:2001-01-09
New York, NY

Sarah

Most of the people I've seen using the wifi on the bus are college kids with iPads and laptops. Lots of students travel by bus. Kids at urban schools in New York and Boston don't generally have cars.
TBBroadband
join:2012-10-26
Fremont, OH

TBBroadband to ShellMMG

Member

to ShellMMG

Re: Have WiFi Will Travel

The company that owns/operates MEGA actually is operating a good share of the GreyHound network. Look on the back of the bus and you'll see the same company's name. They're a huge company and operate a majority of the buses in the US.

Georgeca
@rogers.com

Georgeca

Anon

The new WiFi entertainment solution

It is interesting to note that there is an annual study done at DePaul University in Chicago that reported in 2011/2012 only 0.6% of bus passengers carried Tablets. Even if you double that to include laptops (I think that's a huge over estimation) you can see that an almost infinitesimally small number of Greyhound riders will have an appropriate device to even think about watching TV or movies on.