Network Rail’s Project Reach will see Freshwave building neutral host infrastructure to clear blackspots and Neos deploying 1000km of high-capacity fibre
The UK’s long-suffering commuters were delivered some good news with the announcement that Network Rail, working with Neos Networks and Freshwave are going to kick off the biggest upgrade to Britain’s rail telecoms infrastructure in decades in the hope of ending to the worst signal blackspots on the major rail arteries of Britain.
The project’s innovative commercial model brings together public and private sector investment and infrastructure. This is expected to save taxpayers around £300 million while delivering substantial benefits to rail users. More importantly, in terms of mobile infrastructure, it is a big thumbs-up for neutral host.
Freshwave, working closely with the mobile network operators (MNOs), will initially deploy mobile infrastructure to tackle signal blackspots in 57 tunnels (covering almost 50km) and associated deep cuttings along the East Coast Main Line, the West Coast Main Line and the Great Western Main Line. This includes the 4km-long Chipping Sodbury tunnel near Bristol and Gasworks and Copenhagen tunnels outside King’s Cross. Freshwave, and the MNOs, will also invest in new 4G/5G infrastructure at 12 Network Rail main line stations. This is a multi-year project with the first installation of mobile infrastructure expected to begin in 2026.
“We’re delighted to be working with Network Rail and the mobile network operators to enhance mobile connectivity in some of the country’s busiest railway stations and main line tunnels,” said Freshwave CEO Simon Frumkin. “This will benefit millions of passengers and station staff across the UK. Investment in infrastructure is an investment in the country’s future and, as Freshwave’s Mobile Connectivity ROI Index indicated, billions of pounds could be added to the UK economy with enhanced indoor mobile connectivity.”
The 12 stations to receive new 4G/5G infrastructure are: 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.
“All tunnel designs will be in line with the JOTS rail coverage specifications, meaning they’ll be designed to work for all the MNOs from the outset,” said Frumkin. “By deploying C-RAN 4G/5G distributed antenna systems (DAS) with the MNOs in 12 Network Rail stations, millions of passengers and many staff in them will be able to enjoy assured mobile connectivity in these high footfall venues.”
He added: “We’re currently in discussions with all the MNOs about them joining Project Reach and look forward to sharing updates when details are confirmed in coming months. We’ll be agreeing the order of deployment for the tunnels and stations in collaboration with Network Rail and the MNOs.”
MNO backing
“The ambition to further enhance mobile connectivity across the UK’s rail network is one that we share, having invested consistently and significantly in the nation’s travel infrastructure in recent years,” said BT Group (EE) chief networks officer Greg McCall. “Only by bringing the public and private sectors together can we fully deliver upon this common goal.”
“Our £700m Mobile Transformation Plan is focusing investment on parts of the network that experience the highest levels of demand and are the most critical,” said O2 director of mobile access engineering Dr Robert Joyce. “Railways are an important example of this and we are committed to improving the connectivity experience for the O2 customers that use them.”
“We believe the use of technologies such as 5G Standalone (5G SA) will increase productivity, reduce delays, and enable a smarter, more connected experience for those using our rail networks” said VodafoneThree chief network officer Andrea Donà. “We’re hugely supportive of Project Reach and look forward to seeing it progress.”
Fibre network for Neos
The project will also initially see Neos Networks deploy 1,000 kilometres of ultrafast, high-count fibre optic cable laid along lengths of the East Coast Main Line (the route from King’s Cross to Newcastle), the Chiltern Main Line and part of the West Coast Main Line to Manchester (the route from Marylebone to Birmingham and then via the West Midlands to Stafford and on to Manchester) and the Great Western Main Line (the route from London to Cardiff). There is an ambition to grow the network to beyond 5,000km in the future.
The railway’s current fibre optic cable system uses 24 and 48 count cable – similar to what you’d find in the ground on residential streets. Neos said its new high count cable will be a 432 core cable hugely increasing the network’s capability. Network Rail will use half the new capacity and Neos will commercialise the other half.
The enhanced network will also enable Network Rail to monitor railway assets more effectively and facilitate the rollout of new technologies that rely on better connectivity. This includes trackside sensors and CCTV applications, paving the way for a more joined-up railway with faster and more reliable train services for passengers, as well as improved safety for railway workers.
“Neos has a long-standing commitment to supporting Britain’s critical infrastructure, offering the most reliable and secure networks to our customers. We are thrilled to collaborate with Network Rail in modernising the UK’s infrastructure, paving the way for the country’s digital future,” said Neos Networks CEO Lee Myall. “Connectivity has become the cornerstone of innovation. The increasing demand for data centre capacity and the unprecedented growth in AI-driven data demands are pushing the boundaries of existing infrastructure.”
He added: “Project Reach will support the upgrade of the UK’s connectivity infrastructure, creating new data superhighways that will drive the UK’s digital ambitions forward.”
Jeremy Westlake, Network Rail’s chief financial officer said he was delighted with this “innovative deal” with 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,” he said.
He added: “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.”
