The transport secretary has announced a new deal to eliminate mobile blackspot on the busiest rail routes.
The deal, Project Reach, has been signed between Network Rail, and telecoms companies, Neos Networks and Freshwave.
The project brings together public and private sector investment and infrastructure and is expected to save taxpayers around £300 million.
Neos Networks will deploy 1,000 kilometres of ultra-fast fibre optic cable along the East Coast Main Line, parts of the West Coast Main Line and the Great Western Main Line, with ambition to expand beyond 5,000 kilometres in the near future.
Freshwave will be tackling signal blackspots in 57 tunnels, covering almost 50 kilometres, including the 4-kilometre-long Chipping Sodbury tunnel near Bristol.
Mobile network operators will also be investing in new 4G/5G infrastructure at 12 of the biggest Network Rail stations across the country including Birmingham New St, Bristol Temple Meads, Edinburgh Waverley, Euston, Glasgow Central, King’s Cross, Leeds, Liverpool Lime Street, Liverpool Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Paddington and Waterloo.
Installation is expected to begin in 2026, and be fully rolled out by 2028.
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said: "This is a game changer for passengers up and down the country and will revolutionise journeys from Paddington to Penzance and Edinburgh to Euston.
"By boosting connectivity and tackling signal blackspots, we are also ensuring a more reliable and efficient service.
"This means better journeys for passengers while supporting our broader Plan for Change goals of economic growth and digital innovation."
Jeremy Westlake, Network Rail’s Chief Financial Officer, said: "I’m delighted that we have now signed this innovative deal with our partners Neos Networks and Freshwave.
"This investment model will deliver the necessary upgrades to our telecoms infrastructure faster whilst offering significant value-for-money for the taxpayer and stimulating wider economic benefits across the country.
"As we move towards becoming a unified railway with the formation of Great British Railways, the enhanced telecoms infrastructure will play a key role in our ambition to provide a data-driven railway of the future, delivering better connectivity and a better, more reliable train service for our passengers."
