Icomera, the world’s leading provider of onboard connectivity solutions, welcomed local MPs Catherine Atkinson (Derby North) and Baggy Shanker (Derby South) to the offices of its Derby-based design and engineering division, DG8, last week. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss the critical role of onboard Internet connectivity in the UK’s rail industry and showcase the contributions of DG8 to local employment and innovation. Rail Forum CEO, Elaine Clark OBE, and other representatives of the national industry body were also in attendance.
Icomera deployed its first passenger Wi-Fi service on trains operating along the East Coast Main Line in 2004 and today it is the UK market leader. With the acquisition of DG8 in 2019, as well as London-based onboard infotainment providers, GoMedia, in 2020, Icomera now employs over 120 people across three UK offices.
The case for better onboard connectivity has only strengthened with time and, as Icomera’s SVP for the UK, Peter Kingsland, explained, it is not only tied to the general growth trend in connectivity overall amongst consumers:
“Many of our rail operator clients are using Icomera’s onboard connectivity to support passenger Wi-Fi and also to deliver Internet access for other systems on the train – passenger information, digital video surveillance, electronic point of sale, remote condition monitoring and train crew communications – creating digital trains.
“These digital train projects are driving forward the vision of a truly data-driven railway system. All these different applications rely on data and, without connectivity, there is no data, so it’s becoming more critical that connectivity is ubiquitous throughout a train journey”.
During the visit, Ms. Atkinson and Mr. Shanker toured DG8’s facilities, meeting with employees, including apprentices and graduates, to learn more about their design and engineering projects, physically integrating new technologies into older trains, extending their service life in process and making the future of rail a physical reality.
Elaine Clark OBE, CEO at Rail Forum: “I was delighted to be able to support Rail Forum member Icomera at this event. It was also great to see the investment in future talent and the enthusiasm of the apprentices at DG8. Catherine Atkinson MP and Baggy Shanker MP are also members of the Transport Committee and they are really keen to learn more about the industry and employers local to them in their constituencies. For them to see first-hand some of the products that are being developed and are available is vitally important to help make the case for ongoing investment to improve passenger journeys.”