Network Rail has announced it is spending £1.9 billion to upgrading its telecoms infrastructure to roll out ‘high-speed mobile broadband’ across the busiest parts of Britain’s rail network.
According to the rail company, by 2019 more than two-thirds of train passengers ‘should’ have access to the faster technology, leaving rail users and business travellers who rely on the backbone of Britain’s transport network to struggle with inadequate mobile broadband for the next six years.
This announcement only underscores how primitive and medieval rail networks are in the UK. Earlier this year in India, which has the biggest train network in the world and trains that must cope with all terrains, launched WiFi on several major routes. Customers don’t care how fast trains run as long as they can access the internet. That particular axiom seems to have been missed by the nincompoops who run these things.
Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.
