Sat 21 Internet on Board System

Overview: 

21Net’s Sat 21 technology is uniquely robust, proven and economic. It has been tested and deployed by leading train high-speed train operators – Renfe, Thalys, SNCF and NTV.

Operator Licences

21Net owns the following Internet Operator Licences and notifications:

BELGIUM
Institut Belge des services Postaux et des télécommunications – IBPT
Attestation de notification de réseau n° INFR/PL/2005/0001 en date du 9 février 2005.
Attestation de déclaration d’un service n° TEL/VDS/2005/0003 en date du 9 février 2005.
Licence spéciale de type VSAT n° LV/202.4040. en date du 10 février 2005.

FRANCE
Autorité de régulation des télécommunications - ARCEP
Récépissé de déclaration : n°05 – 419 en date du 2 mars 2005.
Autorisation d’usage de fréquences : Décision n° 05 – 0243 en date du 17 mars 2005.

GERMANY
Bundesnetzagentur für Elektrizität, Gas, Telekommunikation,
Post und Eisenbahnen - Bundesnetzagentur.
Meldung des gewerblichen Betriebs von öffentlichen Telekommunikationsnetzen und des Angebots von gewerblichen Telekommunikationsdiensten für die Öffentlichkeit nach § 6TKG unter des Registriernummer 07/168 (date: 12/06/2007).

THE NETHERLANDS
Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit - OPTA. 

Als aanbieder van een openbaar elektronisch communicatiennetwerk onder het nummer 941437 (reg datum: 2-1-2006).
Als aanbieder van een openbare elektronische communicatiedienst onder her nummer 941356 (reg datum: 2-1-2006).
To receive the complete licenses and notifications owned by 21Net, please send an email to: info [at] 21net [dot] com. 

Specifications: 

Product Components

In a “Sat21 system , a particular carriage (sometimes described as the “Brain Car” is equipped with the central communications system comprising:

  • Main Rack (“MR”)
  • Satellite Antenna (“SA”)
  • 1 or more Multiband Antennas (“MA”)

The Main Rack provides broadband connectivity to passengers and staff, and to fixed components like on-board displays, sensors and computer equipment throughout the whole trains via a Backbone (BB) typically including Backbone Switches (“BBS”) and Wireless Access Points (“APs”) and their Indoor Antennas (“IAs”) in all the Internet enabled carriages.

21Net offers a range of cable (copper and/or optical fibre) Backbones and Cable or Wireless (indoor or outdoor) Inter Carriage Links to suit different operational environments.

Sat 21 Product Components

Sat 21 System Architecture

Satellite Antennas

21Net has extensive experience operating high-performance satellite s antennas on high-speed regional express trains. Different designs for the rooftop equipment have been developed for different train types and operator requirements:

Main Rack

The 21Net Main Rack is built from one or more railway certified racks of Compact PCI modules housing computer platforms, communications gateways, modems and interfaces.


The principal components include:

  • Mobile Access Router that aggregates the connectivity from multiple links – Satellite, Wi-Fi and Cellular Networks
  • Performance Enhancement System including modules for TCP and HTTP Acceleration, Compression and Caching
  • Access Control Gateway and Portal Server that controls access to the Internet and on Train resources
  • Bandwidth management, including Load Balancing, QoS and Traffic Shaping for implementation of fair use policies
  • Connectivity Interfaces including Wi-Fi, Cellular and Satellite
  • Satellite Modem and Antenna Controller
  • GPS geo-location
  • Logging, Diagnostics and Remote Management

Additional Functionality can include:

  • Content server for storing large quantities of multi-media entertainment (capacities of 2TB or more)
  • Streaming servers to provide high capacity Video on Demand (VoD) and IPTV
  • Telemetry Data Capture, Logging and Transport to train operator shore based servers
  • Passenger information server and support for On Train Displays
  • CCTV capabilities including capture, automated analysis and alerting
  • Interfaces to train operator back-office systems, train staff PDAs, train captain computer etc.
  • VoIP


Train Network

To support broadband Internet and passenger video entertainment, 21Net offers a range of high capacity backbones – 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps – and high performance Wi-Fi access points.

Benefits: 
  • Broadband: bi-directional satellite gives highest data rates - 4 to 8 Mbps - for a true Broadband Internet on Board experience.
  • Affordable: 21Net’s unique High Gain Antennas and Dynamic Bandwidth Assignment technology maximise satellite spectral efficiency to minimise operating costs.
  • Proven and Robust: Sat 21 systems have been tested and deployed on high speed and regional express trains in Europe, Asia and North America.
  • Homologations and Approvals: Sat 21 systems have been fully homologated and approved for use in Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy and India.
  • Single Wi-Fi network inside the train: via inter-carriage links (cables or wireless) the Sat 21 system creates a single in-carriage wireless network throughout the train with a single public access SSID. Different access rights can be set per carriage (e.g. free access in First Class, paying in Second).
  • Staff Network: train staff can access a separate VLAN with different access rights (e.g. prioritized traffic, access to corporate intranet).
  • GPS: Sat 21 continuously report the train’s precise geo-location which can be used for arrival time prediction, passenger information and geovisualization of train telemetry data.