Better let market forces decide if high-speed trains offer WiFi

WANG MENGSHU, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said at a panel discussion on the sidelines of the current annual session of the National People's Congress that WiFi should not be provided on high-speed trains, as it might disturb onboard communication signals and would also cost a lot in maintenance. He also encouraged passengers to enjoy the views, instead of fixing their eyes on the tiny screens of smartphones and laptops. However, on Tuesday Beijing Youth Daily said it should be market demand that decides whether the WiFi is offered on board trains or not:

An increasing number of residents, especially young white collar workers, are addicted to their smartphones rather than face-to-face interactions, thanks to the extensive WiFi coverage across the country. That partly justifies Wang's opposition to the offering of WiFi on high-speed trains, because they are not supposed to be dependent on high-tech gadgets.

It is also evident that passengers on trains without free WiFi will use their smartphones and other mobile devices less.