Mobile Broadband: Railways
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure universal mobile data coverage for passengers on the railway network.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
Our ambition is for all populated areas to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. In the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy (June 2025), the Government committed to work with Ofcom and other regulators to assess the telecommunications needs of the transport sector by December 2026. My officials are undertaking this assessment alongside the Department for Transport and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.
The Department for Transport also recently secured funding to introduce low-earth-orbit satellite connectivity on all mainline trains, which will significantly improve both the availability and internet data connection speeds for Wi-Fi connected passengers.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →