LNER pioneers advanced on board streaming services

LONDON North Eastern Railway (LNER) is trialling a UK-first edgecasting proof-of-concept that enables passengers to stream thousands of shows from ITV Hub in ultra-high definition – without eating into personal data or the train’s

Wi-Fi bandwidth. The equipment has been installed on three Class 801 Azuma units running between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh.

LNER has partnered with tech innovator Netskrt Systems to trial edgecasting technology that combines cloud-based machine learning with networkaware edge caching, storing on-demand content on board, meaning that passengers have the same high-quality viewing experience they would enjoy at home, even when going through tunnels or hard-to-reach network areas. Shows upload while the trains are on the move, meaning that the catalogue is constantly updated and passengers have access to the latest content. Shows are available to watch as soon as they are published on ITV Hub.