In some parts of the world, the minute your train goes underground, getting cell service might be tricky, let alone internet. However over in South Korea, it’s a very different story because Samsung will be equipping some of the country’s high-speed trains with some high-speed internet.Working in partnership with Korean telco KT, Samsung will be equipping the Wonju-Gangneung high-speed train with LTE-R internet. Ultimately this is expected to “provide the public faster, easier access to the largest winter sports facilities in Korea, including PyeongChang.” Given that the Winter Olympics are coming up in 2018, having such facilities offered in their trains will no doubt help leave visitors with a great impression of the country.
For those unfamiliar with LTE-R, it is a “next-generation communications technology for smart train and metro services, enabling high-speed wireless voice and data communications inside trains, from train to ground and from train to train. In particular, LTE-R enables smooth and stable mission-critical communications – including MCPTT, group calls and VoLTE – between train personnel and control centers.”
That being said, Samsung has been steadily rolling over LTE-R coverage since 2015 as part of the company’s commitment to five LTE-R projects, with the train being one of them.