Saturday, March 20, 2010

Wi-Fi on Rail Runner Close


Journal Staff Report
          New Mexico Rail Runner Express passengers could soon be riding and surfing the Internet at the same time.
        Augusta Meyers, spokeswoman for the commuter train, said testing of the systemwide free Wi-Fi service began in October with a select group of about 50 regular customers.
        That should change at some point during the next month, when all passengers will be invited to connect to the wireless network. It will be available throughout the train's 100-mile corridor from Belen to Santa Fe and at each Rail Runner station.
        "The next phase is the general public testing, which would be where we let everybody on (the network) for about three months," she said.
        That will be the final testing phase before the state finalizes its agreement with INX Inc. and enters into a contract for future maintenance, she said.
        Initial testing has shown just a few bugs — such as the need to replace a cable in one of the towers — but those are being addressed, Meyers said.
        "We're just tweaking the system," she said. "I'd say within the month, we'll have everybody on."
        INX Inc. was awarded a contract of more than $2 million in February 2009 to install the high-speed wireless system.
        Wi-Fi was expected to be available to passengers last year, but the system installation took longer than expected, especially in the northern half of the route, between Bernalillo and Santa Fe.
        A New Mexico Department of Transportation official previously reported that getting Santo Domingo and the city of Santa Fe to approve system towers took longer than anticipated.
       

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