Tyne and Wear metro set for better phone connectivity throughout network

Tyne and Wear Metro owners Nexus has announced plans to improve mobile phone coverage across the system which will allow customers to access 4G and 5G connectivity throughout the network.

The travel company is claiming the move comes after research which shows travellers want a better digital experience across the system. This includes being able to use phones while waiting at platforms and travelling on trains.

Rather than putting Wi-Fi on board trains, Nexus will look to increase investment on boosting commercial mobile network strength across the Metro system as this is expected to be cheaper and mean access is available to more people.

Under its plan Nexus is engaging with the major network providers to build improved connectivity in those ‘not spot’ areas where the signal is weaker, including tunnels and cuttings and lines near the coast.

Mobile provider EE has offered 4G connectivity in Metro tunnels beneath central Newcastle and Gateshead since 2019 though plans to get other mobile networks on board was held up during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Customer Services Director for Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “We want customers to enjoy unbroken 4G and 5G connectivity on smart phones as they travel around the region, whether that is while getting to a station, waiting on the platform, or travelling on trains.

“We’ve done research with customers which shows that people now value a good connection for their phone, using their own data, rather than wanting to log in to a Wi-Fi service provided by a train operator, particularly when most people travel on Metro for only a short period.

“This is not surprising because data is cheap and the signal from masts in and around railways is much stronger than it was a few years ago – in fact research a few years ago by comparable operators showed as few as 4% to 5% of customers choose to use on-train Wi-Fi.”

He added: “On-train Wi-Fi is expensive to provide and maintain, and itself relies on local masts for connectivity, and we now feel it offers little benefit to customers compared to the high cost of building then maintaining a bespoke system."

There is currently no time frame for the improvements.