Prof refutes claim that Wi-Fi interferes with trains

(Photo source: Tianfu Morning News)

(ECNS) -- A professor of communications engineering has refuted a statement by a railway official that China's trains don't provide Wi-Fi service because of safety issues, according to the Chengdu-based Tianfu Morning News.

Wang Mengshu, vice chief engineer of the China Railway Group and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said on Wednesday that Wi-Fi influenced the ability of trains to receive and send signals.

But Professor Fang Xuming of Southwest Jiaotong University disagreed, saying Wi-Fi frequencies have no impact on rail communications. He also said that Wang misunderstood the concept of rail and metro communication.

Railways use an exclusive communication system, which is under special maintenance and protection, Fang said, but Wi-Fi and metro communication use a public frequency at 2.4GHz, which is used by many public institutions.

"The frequencies and signal systems used by Wi-Fi and railway communications are very different, therefore the two have no effect on one another," Fang added.

Southwest Jiaotong University is developing a Wi-Fi system for trains with a Beijing communications company that declined to be identified.

The system was tested during the Spring Festival. A director with the company said it is expected to be implemented in the near future.