Councillor Dan Rogerson, from the Peninsula Transport board, called the pilot a “major milestone” in its plans to modernise transport infrastructure across the South West and South Wales.
“It’s not just about passenger wi-fi,” he said. “This is about a whole new digital backbone for our transport networks”.
Bruce Williamson from the campaign group Railfuture told the BBC the scheme appeared to be “really good news”.
“We’re all increasingly connected these days, and wi-fi has become more and more of an essential service for travellers. I’m not going to hold my breath, but this is a step in the right direction.”
In May, South Western Railway launched its own, separate, “superfast” wi-fi rollout for its trains between Earlsfield and Basingstoke, using trackside poles and antennas to create a bespoke 5G rail network.
