Best And Worst Line For Mobile Phone Coverage / Signal

[LE Greys]

and nowt on the NYMR

Oddly, long-wave radio reception on most lines is terrible, but preserved lines are brilliant. No electrical fields from diesel engines and traction motors.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

The HEX tunnels at Heathrow have really good signal for Orange.

 

[jonb]

Using a Blackberry on the O2 network, the S & C is very patchy after Skipton. I think it's regained at Settle/Kirkby Stephen/Appleby and on the approaches to Carlisle.

 

[GarethW]

I was under the impression that it was the braking system on Voyagers that caused disturbance to phone signals or was this proved wrong?

Also, Winchester to Worting Junction (Basingstoke) is pretty rubbish.

Fareham - Eastleigh is virtually non-existent. Havant - Guildford is pretty rubbish or non-existent.

 

[WelshBluebird]

The Barnstaple branch line is awful for signal. Only a couple of short sections where I can get any signal at all (experienced the same with Orange and Three).

 

[ert47]

Can we exclude sub-surface Underground lines from this...it is slightly obvious that there will be no signal there! :P

Actually, my phone has shown one bar on the Jubilee Line platforms at London Bridge once or twice

Couldnt call though

 

[MarkyMarkD]

HS1 between St Pancras and Ebbsfleet International is dire, because most of it's in (long) tunnels.

It is strange that given that this is meant to be a premium service, they didn't think about this and provide some connectivity - it must be technically possible, surely?

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

HS1 between St Pancras and Ebbsfleet International is dire, because most of it's in (long) tunnels.

It is strange that given that this is meant to be a premium service, they didn't think about this and provide some connectivity - it must be technically possible, surely?

The journey lasts like 15 minutes so there isn't long of no signal. Besides there's wifi afaik and in emergency, you could use the guard's phone.

 

[Lampshade]

The MML in a 222 is terrible.

Can we exclude sub-surface Underground lines from this...it is slightly obvious that there will be no signal there! :P

The Circle Line between Tower Hill and Kings Cross St Pancras (anticlockwise) is mostly fine :P

 

[cointreau_rove]

I have found that most lines will have dead spots but for me the worst is Bristol Parkway to beyond Cheltenham Spa until about 10 miles before Birmingham.

You get a moment or two at the sintermediate towns. I use 3 and T-Mobile. The Orange network works well so if I shunt my T-Mobile Blackberry onto Orange (free now that they are the same company) I can even get emails on my Blackberyy.

My other regular journey is Paddington - Bristol and up to a year ago there were deadspots all along the line. Now apart from Didcot to halfway to Swindon it is pretty good. In fact on the three network I am picking up a stable H+ (HSPA) signal on my Samsung Galaxy allowing me to even watch YouTube streams. (allegedly this soignal allows 21Meg connections - it has been amazinglty fast when I am looking at live arrivals and departures when I am looking at short time connections on my way into Reading allowig me a little comfort for platform allocation!

On a train through Malaysia a few years back OI never lost signal all the way to Bangkok!!! Must be their lack of copper wire expansion so went for Mobile services on expansion like a few African countries I have visited.

C

 

[MarkyMarkD]

The journey lasts like 15 minutes so there isn't long of no signal. Besides there's wifi afaik and in emergency, you could use the guard's phone.

But it's this section of the journey which gives rise to the higher fares and which is actually high speed! No signal for most of 15 minutes is bad news if you are on a business call.

 

[D1009]

I have found that most lines will have dead spots but for me the worst is Bristol Parkway to beyond Cheltenham Spa until about 10 miles before Birmingham.

I believe that is more to do with the Voyager trains than the area. If you can get an HST it's much better.

 

[asylumxl]

I was under the impression that it was the braking system on Voyagers that caused disturbance to phone signals or was this proved wrong?

This is my belief. I believe there is insufficient shielding on the traction system (inc. Resistor banks). I've observed it over and over on my commute and signal most certainly appears linked to acceleration/deceleration which is further supported by signal returning at station stops.

As for low signal areas, Totnes to Plymouth. Even near Ivybridge it's not very good.

 

[AntoniC]

From Formby to Hall Road on Merseyrail`s Northern Line phone & internet is awful on Orange.

I can understand why, as there really is nothing between these stations.

 

[jon0844]

The HEX tunnels at Heathrow have really good signal for Orange.

Am I right in thinking that the leaky feeders on the HEX tunnels only carry 2G signals? Fine for voice, but not for data (but you do have the T-Mobile Wi-Fi service for data, if you care to pay or travel FC).

 

[mralexn]

Speaking of SUB SURFACE, stations.

Why can there not be mobile phone signal down there?,

What I mean by this is, Can they not put "mini antennas" at the end of the platforms or something?

After all, I would imagine it could be a device much like a Wireless Router you have at home, but it pumps out a mobile phone signal.

Would be a relatively inexpensive thing to make,

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[jon0844]

I am sure phone coverage will come one day, but it will be expensive.

The next best thing is Wi-Fi at stations, so at least you can still get emails and check status information for trains/tubes/buses while underground.

The upside is that, bar using VoIP, Wi-Fi will restrict voice usage!

 

[themiller]

The Cumbrian coast between Whitehaven and Millom is very variable with no signal from any provider in places. Best is Orange/T-Mobile.

 

[142094]

Speaking of SUB SURFACE, stations.

Why can there not be mobile phone signal down there?,

What I mean by this is, Can they not put "mini antennas" at the end of the platforms or something?

After all, I would imagine it could be a device much like a Wireless Router you have at home, but it pumps out a mobile phone signal.

Would be a relatively inexpensive thing to make,

What are your thoughts on this?

Tyne and Wear Metro was one of the first underground-type systems to do this.

Just come back from a trip up north and the signal is quite bad between Berwick and Morpeth.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Am I right in thinking that the leaky feeders on the HEX tunnels only carry 2G signals? Fine for voice, but not for data (but you do have the T-Mobile Wi-Fi service for data, if you care to pay or travel FC).

I managed to get this site up on there whilst heading through the HEX tunnels. I did take advantage if the free wifi in express class when heading to T5 but no wifi on the HX and HC 360s.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Depends on your definition of 'best' - Best for me would be a line where you get NO coverage at all and I don't have to listen to other people's inane drivel.

 

[Wikipedia]

Using a Blackberry on the O2 network, the S & C is very patchy after Skipton. I think it's regained at Settle/Kirkby Stephen/Appleby and on the approaches to Carlisle.

It is non existent between somewhere just north of Langwathby and not regained until after Armathwaite I have found! Also the area through the dales can be patchy at best once you get south of Kirkby Stephen!

 

[LE Greys]

Depends on your definition of 'best' - Best for me would be a line where you get NO coverage at all and I don't have to listen to other people's inane drivel.

Hear! Hear!

 

[30909]

Fareham - Eastleigh is virtually non-existent. Havant - Guildford is pretty rubbish or non-existent.

Agree most of the Portsmouth Direct is a dead area to Vodafone including Woking to Waterloo. I’m always amused by the person who starts a conversation in the Waterloo train shed and is still talking without obvious loss of signal at Shalford junction after passing through Guildford Chalk and Sand tunnels. They must be very lonely!

 

[Whistler40145]

Another really bad line for mobile signals has to be the Settle & Carlisle, especially around Ribblehead.


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[91101]

One line that I found oddly that you do keep signal on...the Far North Line to Wick!

Its worth noting that the Tyne and Wear metro fit out for phone signals was done by 02 back in 2002/2003 IIRC, I believe that O2 did it for free as a proof of concept piece to bid to LUL to do the tube.

 

[sdrennan]

WCML
Southern part is poor. Goes through areas wth lots of tunnels or away from main roads.
Northern part is fine as it runs close to M74 or M6.

 

[infobleep]

Guildford to Waterloo is bad particularly from Woking onwards. This is with O2. I have considered getting mobile web access so I can check train times but I don't think I can justify £6 when I can't use it when I'm most likely to want to, on the train. That being when I'm most mobile every day.

However I find Victoria to Haywards Heath on O2 is great. Even in the tunnels! Has that anything to do with the abandoned wi-fi project with T-mobile.

I thought of a really good advertising slogan for any one of the mobile phone companys':
All it takes is just one black spot. Just one brief black spot to lose your signal.
Then insert company name and final strap line of said mobile phone company.

 

[jon0844]

Hear! Hear!

Surely you mean no hear, no hear!

I think Wi-Fi is okay, as it lets people get online and remain connected without making any noise. It's useful to be able to check your email (if you're working), check the news, sport results or whatever - but not necessarily make calls.

In any case, few people actually talk on their mobiles now for the very reason that we've got used to emailing, texting and wasting more time on Facebook, Twitter etc than wasting valuable time chatting. In fact, most people probably don't want to chat in public now.

Of course, those that still do are probably the ones you want to stop most!

 

[VideozVideoz]

Using a Blackberry on the O2 network, the S & C is very patchy after Skipton. I think it's regained at Settle/Kirkby Stephen/Appleby and on the approaches to Carlisle.

Vodafone & Orange on the S&C are good Settle-Selside (Just after Horton In Ribblesdale) regaining signal again at Garsdale onwards. I wouldn't waste your time on O2 between Settle and Kirkby Stephen