Bilal Travels provides a free wireless internet service on many of its intercity coaches as a courtesy for passengers. These Wi-Fi terms and conditions explain how to connect, what you may and may not do on the network, how bandwidth is shared between travellers and how we handle security and privacy. The service is supplied by the coach operator and delivered over mobile networks along the route, which means coverage and speed naturally vary as the vehicle moves. By connecting a device to the onboard network you accept these terms, so please read them before you begin using the connection.
About the Onboard Wi-Fi Service
The network is intended for everyday internet activities such as browsing, messaging, email and light social media use during your journey. It is provided free of charge and without any guarantee of continuous availability, and it may be switched off on some vehicles or on some routes without notice. The service is shared by everyone travelling on the coach, and the connection between the vehicle and the mobile network is affected by tunnels, remote stretches of road, mountains and weather. When the coach passes through an area with weak coverage, the internet connection may slow down or stop altogether until a stronger signal returns to the vehicle.
Connecting Your Device
To use the service, open the list of wireless networks on your phone, tablet or laptop, choose the onboard network and accept the terms when the welcome page appears. No separate password is usually required for the initial connection, and the welcome page may reappear when you return to the network after a period of inactivity. Only a limited number of devices per passenger can be connected at the same time, so if a device cannot join it may be that the connection limit has been reached. If the network does not appear in your list, try the following:
- move closer to the front of the coach, where the equipment is mounted;
- switch your device's wireless off and on again, then rescan for networks;
- forget the network and join it again from the welcome page;
- ask the crew whether the service is active on that particular vehicle.
Acceptable Use
The network exists so that passengers can stay in touch and pass the time pleasantly while they travel. Ordinary web browsing, email, messaging, streaming at a modest quality, checking news and social media, and using travel or map applications are all welcome. Traffic is not filtered for adults in general, so parents remain responsible for supervising what children do online during the journey. Because bandwidth is shared, travellers are asked to avoid activities that consume the connection heavily for long periods, since a single device downloading large files can make the service unusable for everybody else on the coach.
Prohibited Activity
A number of activities are not permitted on the network, whether they are illegal in themselves or simply inappropriate on a shared, public connection. Illegal downloading, file sharing and piracy, accessing offensive or unlawful material, attempting to break into other systems, scanning or attacking the network, and using the connection to harass or defraud other people are all forbidden. Automated traffic such as bulk downloads, torrent clients, cryptocurrency mining and heavy peer-to-peer activity is also blocked or may be limited. The operator may suspend an individual device, or the whole network, if misuse is detected, and serious cases may be reported to the authorities.
Speed, Capacity and Fair Use
Realistic speeds depend on how many passengers are online, where the coach is along the route and the quality of the mobile signal available. Video at the highest resolutions may buffer, large uploads may be slow, and latency can be high enough to make some online games difficult to play. There is no guaranteed minimum speed, and the service should not be relied on for time-critical work such as a video call for a meeting or interview. To keep the network usable for everyone, individual connections may be rate limited or paused at busy times, and devices that consume a disproportionate share of the available bandwidth may be prioritised downwards.
Security, Privacy and Support
The onboard network is a public connection, in the same category as the Wi-Fi offered in a cafe or an airport lounge. For that reason you should avoid signing in to online banking or other sensitive accounts while connected, prefer websites that use secure encrypted connections, and consider using a trusted virtual private network for anything confidential. Keep your own device's file sharing and hotspot features switched off, and do not leave a laptop unattended while it is connected. Traffic passing over the network is not monitored for content and browsing histories are not stored, but the operator cannot guarantee the security of data you choose to transmit. If a connection fails, try reconnecting or restarting your device before asking the crew for assistance.
| Activity | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing, email and messaging | Welcome | Light everyday use suits a shared link |
| Modest quality streaming | Welcome | Acceptable if bandwidth allows |
| Maps and travel apps | Welcome | Useful during a journey |
| Bulk downloads and file sharing | Not allowed | Consumes the connection for everyone |
| Hacking or network attacks | Not allowed | Unlawful and a risk to other users |
| Online banking and sensitive logins | Discouraged | Public networks carry extra risk |
The onboard Wi-Fi is offered as a courtesy and may be changed, limited or withdrawn at any time, so please treat it as a convenience for the journey rather than as a guaranteed service.