Mobile Phone Network in the Channel Tunnel

[Teebs]

I've noticed going through the Channel Tunnel that I have no mobile phone signal going south UK-France, but my phone works fine going north France-UK. Does anyone know why this is?

I'm on a UK provider that gives free roaming in the EU, so it shouldn't be a UK v French networks issue and in any event there's no connection at all, not just a lack of data.

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

I think the northern running tunnel has UK networks and the southern has French, so on the way to France in normal operation you shouldn't be roaming yet

 

[sibbahz]

I seem to remember Three UK don’t have signal in the UK > France tunnel but the other UK networks do.

Coming back to the UK, the tunnel has the French networks and if you are on Three or one of their virtual networks, you will roam onto the French networks.

 

[urpert]

I hadn’t realised that only some UK networks were available in the northern tunnel (I’m on EE and get reasonable 4G then tend to roam on Bouygues on the way back).

I think the northern running tunnel has UK networks and the southern has French, so on the way to France in normal operation you shouldn't be roaming yet

This is definitely the case.

 

[Teebs]

I seem to remember Three UK don’t have signal in the UK > France tunnel but the other UK networks do.

Coming back to the UK, the tunnel has the French networks and if you are on Three or one of their virtual networks, you will roam onto the French networks.

That would be it then, I'm with Three and have EU roaming included in my contract, so that fits with what you've said. Seems weird that a major UK network is giving me coverage on the foreign networks but not the UK ones, but oh well it's hardly a huge inconvenience, only 20 minutes or so.