Here’s how HOTSPLOTS, part of the Wifirst Group, delivered one reliable WiFi network across the entire Mainzer Mobilität bus and tram fleet, supporting both passengers and drivers at the same time.
Mainzer Mobilität operates the buses and tramways that keep the city of Mainz moving, carrying commuters, students and visitors across the network every day. As part of a broader digitalisation strategy, the operator set out to modernise the passenger experience on board, while also giving its own driving staff better tools to do their jobs. Providing passengers with free, reliable internet access was a clear priority, but it was only one part of the project.
// THE CHALLENGE: Public WiFi and Internal Access, on the Same Vehicles
The project was about more than passenger WiFi. Mainzer Mobilität also needed a secure, reliable connection for its driving staff, so their tablets could stay up to date without affecting the quality or security of the public network.
That meant creating two separate services on the same vehicle: an open WiFi network for passengers and a protected internal network for operational use. The solution also had to perform consistently across the entire fleet, on both buses and tramways, with no gaps in coverage from one route to the next. And because thousands of commuters depend on the network every day, reliability was essential. In public transport, WiFi needs to be as dependable as the service itself.
"With HOTSPLOTS, we have not only implemented a stable WiFi for our passengers, but also gained a reliable partner for the digitalisation of our vehicle fleet."
Dirk Weismüller, Digital Manager, Mainzer Mobilität
// THE SOLUTION: Hardware, Installation and Operation From a Single Partner
HOTSPLOTS supplied and configured the hardware, then supported Mainzer Mobilität throughout the rollout across the entire fleet. Instead of treating passenger WiFi and staff connectivity as two separate projects, HOTSPLOTS built one infrastructure with two clearly separated layers.
Working closely with Mainzer Mobilität’s teams, HOTSPLOTS connected staff tablets through a dedicated internal access layer, fully separate from the public passenger hotspot. This allowed drivers’ tablets to stay connected and up to date at all times, without affecting the bandwidth available to passengers.
HOTSPLOTS also remained involved after installation. The company continues to operate and monitor every hotspot, helping keep the network running smoothly over time. It is an ongoing service, not a one-time deployment.
// THE RESULT: A Fully Digitalised Fleet
Today, the entire Mainzer Mobilität fleet is equipped with HOTSPLOTS WiFi, with more than 200 hotspots active every day. For passengers, this means fast, free internet on every journey, across every bus and tram. For drivers, it means tablets that stay connected and up to date at all times. And for Mainzer Mobilität, it means one reliable partner managing both networks through a single relationship.
