Project Reach, a new partnership between Network Rail, Neos Networks, and Freshwave, will see an end to the worst signal blackspots on the major rail arteries of Britain as the companies join forces to provide the biggest upgrade to Britain’s rail telecoms infrastructure in decades. Benefitting millions of rail passengers, the partnership will establish the beginnings of a new high-capacity telecoms infrastructure for Great British Railways to take forward and build upon, and support the digital ambitions of the nation’s businesses.
The project will initially see Neos Networks deploy 1,000km of ultrafast, high-count fibre optic cable laid along lengths of the East Coast Main Line, the Chiltern Main Line, part of the West Coast Main Line to Manchester, and the Great Western Main Line. There is an ambition to grow the network to beyond 5,000km in the future.
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.”
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.
The enhanced network (currently 48 count cable, moving to 432 count) 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.
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.
Neos Networks, a leading B2B telecoms provider, backed by Infracapital and SSE, will deploy high-count fibre trackside in return for commercialising spare fibre, upgrading Network Rail’s critical telecoms infrastructure to provide future capacity required to enable a suite of digitally driven railway benefits. The scheme will also create a high-performing digital connectivity backbone for businesses, providing connectivity to data centres and high-performance edge facilities, supporting the UK’s digital ambitions and driving innovation.
Lee Myall, CEO of Neos Networks, said: “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.”
“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. 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.”
UK mobile connectivity specialist Freshwave will work with the MNOs to target investment to address mobile coverage not-spots in rail tunnels and upgrade wireless infrastructure at key railway stations, enabling the MNOs to offer enhanced signal coverage for customers.
Simon Frumkin, CEO of Freshwave, said: “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. 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.”
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