Rail passengers to use mobile phones in Channel Tunnel

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Eurotunnel has announced it is investing in new technology which will allow Le Shuttle and Eurostar passengers to use their mobile phones and WiFi inside the Channel Tunnel.

Eurotunnel will install a 2G (GSM 900,DCS1800) and 3G (UMTS 2100) GSM-P telephone system ‘in time for the Olympic Games’.

The installation, which will cost of €14 million, has been made possible by the signature of an agreement by Eurotunnel and the telecoms operators in France, Bouygues Telecom, Orange SFR and Free.

Eurotunnel is already in the process of installing the latest version of GSM-R1 railway signaling equipment.

The choice of the same equipment supplier for both GSM-P and GSM-R, Alcatel-Lucent, will ‘ensure the compatibility of the infrastructure and enable costs to be controlled whilst accelerating the installation’.

The French operators will provide an extension of their 2G/3G coverage through the South running tunnel (running France-UK) via a radiating cable and repeaters positioned every 750 metres.

The North running tunnel (UK-France) will be covered by British operators after the Olympic Games.

4 COMMENTS

  1. I wish the rest of the network would install such things. it’s disgraceful you cannot maintain a signal form Nottingham to London!!

  2. I love these blackspots, so much noise these days with everyone on their mobiles. Is it really necessary for them to bring their offices with them?

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