Insights Ofcom publishes technical advice on improving rail passengers’ access to mobile data services

To help the Government’s work to make it easier for rail passengers to get online while travelling, Ofcom has published technical advice originally provided to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in August.

The advice was developed following a formal request from DCMS. It covers:

  • an estimate of the current and future level of demand for mobile data services from passengers on mainline rail routes;
  • an assessment of potential spectrum bands that could in principle be used to provide track-to-train data connections to meet this demand, thereby improving passengers’ access to mobile data services; and
  • options that may be available were Ofcom to authorise use of these bands for mobile data services on rail routes.

No decisions have been made at this stage on using particular spectrum bands to provide these services, or which bodies should be authorised to deliver them.

Ofcom says it will continue to work with the Government as it develops its plans for helping rail passengers get online more easily. To read Ofcom’s technical advice, click here.