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Transport for NSW is conducting a trial of free Wi-Fi at Nambucca Heads station, utilizing SpaceX Starlink’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This choice of LEO satellite service was made due to the station being located in a cellular blackspot.

The free Wi-Fi service is currently limited to 60 minutes per day for each user. Commuters’ feedback on the service has been positive according to NSW TrainLink customer environment manager Vernon Buckle. Feedback received will assist in understanding how passengers utilize this technology and in making improvements to future passenger service offerings.

Robert Bainton, Transport for NSW’s infrastructure and integration manager, stated that providing reliable digital connectivity is one way to enhance the passenger experience at regional locations, where long wait times between connections can result in a less than satisfactory journey.

The three-month trial is a collaboration between the NSW Telco Authority and Transport for NSW. The authority has been evaluating LEO satellite services since August 2022 as a potential extension to their P25 trunked radio technology, as part of their next generation digital connectivity project.

Transport for NSW will closely monitor the service during the trial period, actively troubleshooting any technical or performance issues that may arise. Starlink’s ground network in Australia is managed by Vocus, with 16 LEO stations deployed.

This trial will demonstrate whether this technology has broader applications across the network beyond the provision of free Wi-Fi at Nambucca Heads station.

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