Railway tunnels to get phone signal in bid to eliminate ‘not spots'
Train passengers will no longer face the frustration of having phone calls cut out each time they enter a tunnel, under new plans from Network Rail.
The track operator aims to eliminate so-called 'not spots' for voice calls, streaming and text messages by 2028 – with plans to extend connectivity to dozens of tunnels and cuttings on Britain's key intercity routes.
The work to fill in gaps beyond the reach of existing masts on the East Coast, West Coast and Great Western lines will be undertaken by wireless infrastructure specialist Freshwave.
The firm will, in turn, recoup its investment by selling bandwidth to mobile network operators Virgin Media O2, Vodafone/Three and BT's EE – which are backing the project.
Dubbed Project Reach, the scheme will tackle signal blackspots in 57 tunnels of 250 metres or more including the 2.5-mile shaft under the Cotswolds at Chipping Sodbury near Bristol, one of the longest on the UK rail network.
Freshwave will also upgrade wireless infrastructure at the main stations in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, together with five stations in London, with work due to commence next year.
The London-based firm currently provides connectivity for more than 2,000 buildings and 200 high streets, as well managing hundreds of masts.
Simon Frumkin, chief executive of Freshwave, said: 'Project Reach will make a noticeable difference in some of the most frustrating parts of their journey. The mobile connectivity will mean fewer dropped calls, smoother streaming, and more consistent access to travel updates.'
One significant gap will remain following the project, with the provision of connectivity through the 4.5-mile Severn Tunnel, regarded as too technologically challenging.
The longest underwater tunnel in the world until 1987, it contains a freshwater spring from which more than 10m gallons of water a day must be pumped.
The scheme will also see Neos Networks deploy more than 600 miles of ultrafast fibre optic cable alongside the same three arterial railway lines, stretching from London as far as Newcastle, Cardiff and Manchester via Birmingham.
Neos will install a 432-core high count cable, providing a huge capacity upgrade compared with the railway's existing 24 and 48 count cable similar to that found on residential streets.
The cable will join up Neos data centres – of which there are 90 nationwide – by the easiest physical pathways, rather than serving rail passengers.
However, the terms of the deal will allow Network Rail to take up 50pc of the broadband capacity created to facilitate the digitisation of railway signalling, seen as key to allowing trains to run faster and closer together, fitting in more services and cutting journey times.
Network Rail said the cabling plan will deliver a saving of around £300m for taxpayers and could be extended to cover more than 3,000 miles of track in future, taking in routes such as the London to Brighton and Great Eastern lines.
Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said Project Reach will deliver a more reliable and efficient service for passengers while also supporting the 'broader goals of economic growth and digital innovation'.
The move follows the Government's announcement last week of £41m of funding for satellite connectivity to improve the availability and speeds of Wi-Fi on mainline trains.
Separately, Ofcom this week moved to expose the postcode lottery of Britain's mobile coverage, rolling out a new tool aimed at highlighting patchy signals.
The regulator has launched a new mobile coverage map in an effort to give consumers a more accurate picture of network quality in their area down to a level of 50 square metres.
Sir Chris Bryant, the telecoms minister, previously raised concerns about discrepancies between the industry's coverage claims and the reality of users' experience.
While a user's phone may show it has a signal, the quality of the connection can be impaired by interference from weather and buildings and insufficient network capacity in busy areas such as railways stations and stadiums.
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