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Brighton Station has become the first railway station in the UK to permanently install Auracast™ broadcast audio technology, enabling passengers to receive live station announcements directly through compatible hearing aids, headphones and earbuds.
The installation, delivered by Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express, uses Auri™, the Auracast-based assistive listening system manufactured by Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, to improve access to critical travel information in one of the UK's busiest and most acoustically challenging stations.
Auracast broadcasts announcements directly from the station public address system to compatible devices using Bluetooth® LE Audio technology. Because the system does not require device pairing, passengers can quickly access clear audio announcements, helping them stay informed about service updates, platform changes and travel information.
The permanent installation follows successful trials of Auracast™ technology in transport environments and represents an important milestone for accessible public transport in the UK.
Jenny Sarling, who leads Brighton & Hove Hearing Loss, described the impact of the technology:
"It's a complete game-changer – a life-changer in fact. For those of us with hearing loss, it's the difference between hearing and not hearing, it's the difference between feeling isolated on the station and worried about your journey and being able to relax knowing that if anything changes you will hear it."
The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) has welcomed the deployment, highlighting the potential for Auracast™ to improve accessibility across public transport and other public spaces.
Jonathon Hoskin, Division Sales Manager at Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, said:
"As the manufacturer of Auri, we're committed to developing practical Auracast solutions that improve accessibility in public spaces. Brighton Station demonstrates how public transport operators can deliver clearer, more accessible audio announcements directly to passengers' compatible devices."
Brighton is being used as a permanent pilot site, with Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express hoping passenger adoption will support wider deployment of Auracast technology across the rail network in the future.
Auracast is an emerging feature in smartphones, hearing aids and consumer audio devices, enabling public venues to broadcast audio directly to compatible devices without requiring dedicated apps or traditional Bluetooth pairing.
Read the full Press Release here: https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/gtr/pressreleases/bluetooth-assistive-listening-technology-a-game-changer-for-commuters-at-brighton-station-3458208