WiFi SPARK has been awarded a UK Patent 2556060 for the innovative Continuously Connected Passenger Journey (CCPJ). 

The Continuously Connected Passenger Journey is the ultimate WiFi solution for the transport sector. It enables passengers to register once for the free WiFi service and then receive continuous connectivity throughout their journey, from station to public transport (be that train, bus, plane or boat) and back to the station.

Seamless Roaming: WiFi SPARK’s patented software was first deployed on Chiltern Railways’ network of 28 stations and fleet of over 70 trains that run from Central London to destinations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The patented software acts as an intermediary system between the on-train WiFi and the station WiFi. It enables the passengers to register once for the free WiFi and experience a seamless connected journey from station to train and train to station.  There have been hundreds of thousands of passengers connecting each day with the CCPJ, making their journeys smoother and enabling them to do more on their journey. Commuters can start their workday from the train and stay in touch with family. Day trippers can plan their routes and business travellers can complete their presentations or send emails.

Data Offload: Additionally, the train company benefits further from the CCPJ as it enables the trains to offload their data to the station using the WiFi, saving tens of thousands of pounds each year on expensive mobile data costs.

The CCPJ has received high praise in the transport sector since its introduction in 2016. The judges for the UK Rail Industry Awards commented “It’s great that finally someone has taken this approach and cracked this issue!” WiFi SPARK, Icomera and Chiltern Railways were shortlisted in the Design Innovation category.

WiFi SPARK’s CCPJ solution also won highly commended in Customer Service Excellence category at the Rail Business Awards in 2018.

Sally Millet, Head of ICT at Arriva Trains UK said, “At Arriva Trains UK we are passionate about being at the forefront of digital rail innovation, and WiFi SPARK has been instrumental in helping us exceed passenger expectations for their WiFi experience at Chiltern Railways. The Continuously Connected Passenger Journey means our passengers can enjoy frictionless connectivity and the results truly speak for themselves. The solution has seen an increase in WiFi users and marketing sign-ups, reflecting passengers’ positive engagement with the Chiltern Railways brand.”

Matt O’Donovan, founder and CEO of WiFi SPARK commented on the award of the patent for the CCPJ, “When we developed the Continuously Connected Passenger Journey we knew it was going to be a game-changer for passenger services in the Transport sector. We are delighted to have patent protected the software and to be able to offer transportation operating companies the opportunity to offer seamless connectivity to their passengers. The CCPJ is already a positive point of difference for our customers Chiltern Railways and we expect it to become a standard offering in the transport sector in the future.”

WiFi SPARK provides WiFi services to stations and airports across the UK and Ireland, providing connectivity for over 40 million users per year.  

Find out more about WiFi SPARK's solution for Transport here.