Connectivity for commuters in the UK

[Anonymous]

Hey O2 team

I'm one of the one million people who commute into London every day:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/252516/rail-passengers-cro...

Experience shows that O2 is only able to provide a workable data signal for 25% of the trip (St Neots to Kings Cross) and it seems this is a common experience:

• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/11159142/Worst-mobile-networks-for-London-rail-c...

Even the rare trains that provide wi-fi use mobile networks to provide the signal and have that multiplexed across all the devices on the train.

Are there any plans afoot to provide better data connectivity alongside the commuter tracks? If not, can you shed any light on what the economic issues are in addressing this? It's a captive market of data users who have two trips a day that typically range from 20 minutes to 2 hours each way. Naively, it seems like a no brainer.

Interested to hear O2's position on this

Thanks

[Anonymous]

@Toby? Any information on this?

[jonsie]

Toby or one of the administration may be able to get some sort of info for you as essentially this is a customer to customer forum. 

A couple of o2 employees post in a private capacity so maybe a font of knowledge lies there. One of them @Anonymous is online all weekend.

[jonsie]

Sorry @Anonymous thought you might have some inside info.

[Anonymous]

I've looked @jonsie, only have London underground information, this is more @Toby "department", he knows/works alongside the right people to get this sort of information.

[Anonymous]

I'll look into this guys. I will update when I have some info.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Marina, and everyone who has so far. It'd be great to have some insight into the current situation and to know if there are plans afoot.

[Anonymous]

hi again @Anonymous

   I think I've found something that will interest you

http://news.o2.co.uk/2015/06/22/digital-railway-changing-direction-uk-travel/

http://www.o2.co.uk/enterprise/sectors/travel-and-transport 

[Anonymous]

Appreciate the effort,but both of these links are very light on content. The first mention trains and connectivity, but then go on to discuss timetable adjustments and offering analytics services, ie nothing than improves data network connectivity. Google news turned up the article below on the digital railway, which appears to be about replacing existing signalling and comms infrastructure that the drivers use:

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2015/07/09-carne-lays-down-digital-railway.html

The stretch goal timeline is 2029! I'm hoping to retire around then 🙂

O2, what are you doing about data network connectivity for commuters?

[Anonymous]

Hey O2!

Three years have gone by since I last asked about connectivity for commuters.

And...it's still a poor showing from O2 on the train commute to and fro London.

What makes it so hard to improve things here? Regulation? Priorities? Other? Honestly, I'd love to know why this continues to be neglected.

Thanks!