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VTA Pioneers First All 4G Wireless Connectivity on Mass Transit System

VTA Light Rail Trains Now Offer Free 4G Wi-Fi at Lightning Speeds!

Release Number:	NR 11 07 03
Release Date:	Jul 15, 2011

San Jose, Calif. – Today, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) announced that they are the first mass transit agency in the world to offer customers an all 4G wireless network.  The launch of the high capacity 4G network on board VTA's light rail fleet of 100 vehicles gives passengers the ability to download from Wi-Fi hotspots at lightning speeds.

"With over 10 million trips taken on VTA light rail a year, we are committed to enhancing the travel experience for our loyal-customer base while also trying to attract new riders to the system by making these trips more productive and enjoyable,” said Margaret Abe-Koga, VTA Board Chair.  “As the transit provider of Silicon Valley, it is most appropriate that VTA be the first in providing our passengers with the best, high-speed Wi-Fi technology on the market at absolutely no charge." 

All VTA light rail vehicles are equipped with a mobile router delivering wireless Internet connectivity over the 4G network, supporting significantly higher speeds and lower latency which is important as demand increases for content-rich, real-time data. “With the increase of Wi-Fi enabled portable devices, free onboard Wi-Fi is rapidly becoming expected by passengers across the country and one amenity that has been most requested when it comes to making public transit a more appealing option to non-riders here in Silicon Valley,” said Michael T. Burns, VTA’s General Manager. The onboard Wi-Fi system is also capable of delivering advertising, conducting passenger surveys and collecting usage statistics.

To encourage people to be the first ones to experience the free 4G Wi-Fi service, VTA is sponsoring a contest this weekend on Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17.  To enter the contest, board any VTA light rail vehicle and connect to VTA’s 4G Wi-Fi system. Those who submit the provided entry form online will have the chance to win two San Francisco Giants tickets for the July 19, 2011 game versus the Los Angeles Dodgers and two Caltrain Day Passes to get to AT&T Park. 

For a customized trip plan, contact VTA Customer Service at (408) 321-2300; TTY only (408) 321-2330. You can also log onto www.vta.org and sign-up to receive VTA email updates. While riding the train, find VTA on Facebook at “SCVTA”, Twitter at “SantaclaraVTA”, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/scvta.

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