Mobile Broadband For Trains & Tube By 2012

Government plans for the UK’s trains and London Underground (tube) to have mobile broadband capabilities by 2012 is set to get the go ahead.

In the long awaited Digital Britain report published on Tuesday 16th June, Lord Carter stated that visitors to the UK for the 2012 Olympics will have high digital expectations. Ensuring that trains and the tube are well equipped with mobile broadband access will enable passengers to work on their laptop or browse the web on their phones with no interruptions.

To this effect, all new train franchises will be required to have mobile broadband services installed. Currently, passengers are finding that even in major stations, mobile broadband coverage on trains is unreliable.

The Digital Britain report also states that there is “a near total mobile coverage blackout over the central London section of the London Underground, including the capitals major stations.”

With the 2012 Olympics set to be the most ‘digital’ Olympics to date, the report encourages mobile network operators to work with the Major of London to provide and find solutions to improve mobile broadband access for Tube travellers.

Furthermore, sources indicate that if at any time regulations or related constraints block this particular goal then the government will step in.

Providing mobile broadband access on trains throughout the UK’s rail network and on the tube is just one of the recommendations pointed out by the Digital Britain report.

By 2012 it is hoped that through a variety of broadband connection improvements, wider usage areas and new internet piracy measures, the UK will be a lot more digitally advanced than it is today.

Whether it will be a ‘world broadband leader’ though, as suggested by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, remains to be seen.