LOSSAN rail corridor agency accelerates post-COVID-19 recovery with onboard connectivity upgrade

The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency's Pacific Surfliner will be outiffted with next-generation passenger Wi-Fi connectivity through EQUANS' subsidiary Icomera. 

The Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 27 stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States with 26 daily trains and pre-pandemic annual ridership of nearly three million.

This investment is just one of LOSSAN’s strategies for enhancing passenger amenities. As noted in the LOSSAN Business Plan, key priorities include “Wi-Fi improvement, along with customer communications, train status information and passenger information and station improvements”.

“We know the importance of providing stable Wi-Fi for our passengers,” said Donna DeMartino, LOSSAN Agency Managing Director. “Whatever the purpose of their travel, the ability to stay connected truly is invaluable.”

Over the years, Wi-Fi service has proven to be a popular passenger amenity. To answer passenger demands, LOSSAN has partnered with Icomera, by way of Amtrak, to improve the speed and reliability of the onboard Wi-Fi service to raise the overall travel experience. In a post-COVID-19 world, LOSSAN says it is reaffirming the ability to entertain the leisure travelers with increased reserved seating service and Wi-Fi.

“We understand the role of intercity rail operations, as both a premier travel option for the longer distance business traveler, as well as for the discretionary leisure traveler,” said Gabriel Lopez-Bernal, vice president of sales and marketing for Icomera in North America. “Because of this, we have designed and manufactured an advanced mobile router to meet the criteria for operational success.”

Pacific Surfliner passengers will experience reliable internet connectivity by way of Icomera’s X-Series Mobile Gateway, delivering a significantly improved operator and passenger experience for a connected journey. Based on the historic performance of similar passenger Wi-Fi upgrades across intercity fleets, the upgrades will allow 35-52 percent more devices to connect to the onboard network, delivering 34-48 percent more data per trip.

“Keeping LOSSAN’s passengers entertained, informed and productive throughout the journey is one of the easiest ways to improve the onboard experience,” said Magnus Friberg, CEO, Icomera. “Having internet connectivity on the move is no longer seen as a luxury amenity for passengers, but a necessary service that operators must offer to remain competitive.”