Phone firm EE has promised better phone coverage as commuters return to the railways with six new 4g sites on the route between Brighton and London Victoria.
EE also said that data speeds had been boosted at the busiest railway stations in Lonodn and work was under way to improve coverage in tunnels.
The company said: “The news also comes just a month after EE launched 5G services in Brighton.
“The city is the first place in East Sussex to receive the next generation mobile technology on EE’s network, bringing faster speeds and more reliable connections for people in the city.
“The improvements across all lines build on EE’s existing performance leadership across all eight commuter routes tested by RootMetrics last year.
“EE, part of BT Group, has also boosted performance on key lines used by travellers to and from the UK ahead of any easing of restrictions on international travel this summer.
“This includes the first in-tunnel 4G coverage on the HS1 line between St Pancras International and Ashford International, which will be extended to deliver coverage throughout all tunnels later this summer.
“Improvements have also been made on key sections of rail lines to London’s Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick airports.
“In addition to boosting connectivity on commuter routes, EE has upgraded its mobile network in some of London’s busiest rail stations during the pandemic.
“EE has more than doubled its network capacity at London Euston, London Liverpool Street and City Thameslink stations, as well as enhancing its mobile network at London Victoria, London Kings Cross and Charing Cross.
“The upgrades will provide travellers with extra capacity to seamlessly stream, game or work while on the move.”
Jane Thomas, BT Group regional lead for London and the south east, said: “This is fantastic news for commuters in Brighton as we begin to see more staff returning to offices and workplaces.
“Commuters, as well as general visitors between Brighton and London, will benefit from more reliable connectivity during their journeys – important for those who need to work on the train, make video calls or simply keep in touch with colleagues or friends and family while they travel.”
The company added: “EE customers will continue to benefit from a recent contract renewal to provide connectivity on the London Underground platforms.
“BT and Plusnet customers will also be able to access the free wifi coverage which includes many underground station halls.
“Work on the lines into the heart of London consist of 69 new sites and over 35 upgraded sites to date and form part of wider efforts to improve mobile coverage across large parts of the UK’s railway estate.
“Station upgrades have been largely delivered over in-building DAS (distributed antenna systems) technology and in some cases reconfigured to work over 2 x 2 MIMO (multiple input multiple output) antenna which enhance performance.”
The company is also planning to boost its 4G network capacity in a number of coastal areas in anticipation of a staycation boom this summer while international travel prospects remain uncertain.
