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Infotainment for commuters on the "GO"
GO Trains feature onboard digital signage to entertain and inform passengers
Concord, Ontario – August 11, 2008 - Omnivex Corporation announced today that United Mobile Broadcasting Corporation (UMBC) is using its software
on GO Trains throughout the Greater Toronto Area, to power a unique network of wireless digital signage. The project provides commuters with an informative and
entertaining digital signage network to one of the fastest growing regions in North America. Mobile broadcasting is an extension of the wireless revolution and is
being developed to provide audio, video and multimedia contents to mobile communication devices and in moving environments. This is one of the first mobile broadcast
installations on commuter trains and subways in North America.
GO Transit operates over 400 bi-level passenger railcars in the GTA, serving over 170,000 passengers daily, and over a million impressions per week. The majority of
passengers are affluent professionals, who use the trains to commute to and from work. The average passenger rides the train for 35 minutes, twice per day. Each car
is being fitted with eight 15 inch LCD monitors (four per level) to display an informative and entertaining digital signage network featuring news, weather, sports
and business content, movie previews, videos, and advertising. Audio is available via FM radio stations.
An in-house software solution was considered to run the On-Train TV (OTTV) network, but ultimately, Omnivex was selected for its flexibility when working with new
communications technologies (such as wireless EDGE), cost-saving ability while maintaining a network, and the ease of collecting proof of play data.
"We face unique networking challenges when deploying on moving trains. Omnivex was able to address these challenges by interfacing with the EVDO cellular network that
the digital signage is managed through," said Jonathan Rhee, VP Operations, UMBC. "In addition to this, Omnivex software is fully scalable, allowing it to expand with
UMBC's network as it grows."
About UMBC
UMBC was established in 2002 to provide fully integrated mobile broadcasting services on mass public transit systems, such as trains, subways and buses.
The UMBC Mobile Broadcasting System is designed to deliver multimedia content including news, weather, business and sports content to commuters via LCD monitors. Specifically
designed for 'moving environments' using wireless technology, UMBC's mobile broadcasting system is a proven and reliable extension of an existing mobile broadcasting model
already operational in Canada.
Leveraging our technological and operational know-how, UMBC secured a 15-year contract (10-year initial term plus 5-year extension) to install and operate mobile video
broadcasting on LCD screens within GTA's GO Transit commuter rail system.
About GO Transit
GO Transit is Canada's first, and Ontario's only, interregional public transit system, linking Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). GO
carries more than 50 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services that is one of North America's premier transportation systems. Since GO
Transit began operation in May 1967, over one billion people have taken the GO Train or the GO Bus and ridership continues to grow.
About Omnivex Corporation
Founded in 1991 in Toronto, Ontario, Omnivex Corporation is the leader in software development for digital signage networks and electronic displays. Many
Fortune 500 companies and public institutions rely on Omnivex to deliver their messages to their audiences. Omnivex software is used to manage all aspects of
digital signage networks, including content management, real-time data acquisition and distribution, and remote device monitoring and management. For more
information, please visit www.omnivex.com.
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