Hundreds of UK trains will finally get better Wi-Fi government promises to 'rocket boost connectivity' for travellers

Date:
Wed, 27 May 2026 10:05:00 +0000

Description:
The UK government is running several schemes to improve connectivity across the rail network, including satellite Wi-Fi.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Following a pilot, satellite Internet should be rolling out across more UK trains very soon Other
solutions to tackle not-spots are also being deployed by various partners Wi-Fi welcomed, but campaigners warn of other perpetual issues The UK government has announced plans to significantly upgrade Wi-Fi connections on hundreds of trains, making it easier for commuters to work and stay connected on the go.

Though British trains generally already offer Wi-Fi, connections have been patchy at best. Under this new scheme, up to 1,400 trains will be fitted with satellite equipment to connect to low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations. With cellular not-spots already an issue in a number of underserved regions, satellite-based connections should be able to plug the gap. Latest Videos
From You may like Yes, Delta is finally joining the faster Wi-Fi craze with Amazons Leo VodafoneThree gets Ofcom approval to bring satellite connectivity to your smartphone No dropouts, no stress: Uniteds Starlink Wi-Fi just works and the rollout to every plane cant come soon enough British trains will get satellite Internet The upgrade program aims to bring Wi-Fi availability to 90%, up from around 50%, "over the next few years" (via the BBC ).

Previously, the BBC had reported that the government was planning to spend 57 million to tackle the issue, including 12 million across the west and south west of England, and Wales, where a pilot scheme took place recently.

Certain Great Western Railway (GWR) services in the South West first got to try the satellite upgrades, beginning in November 2025.

Separately, the government's Project Reach aims to tackle broader signal issues across the network. It includes up to 5,000km of fiber optic from Neos Networks, 50km worth of tunnel blackspot tackling by Freshwave, and 4G/5G investment by network operators at major stations. Are you a pro? Subscribe
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Rail Future spokesperson Bruce Williamson noted the key problems today are
the cost of travel, overcrowding and reliability, but welcomed the proposal, which could attract more people to use rail networks and fund future improvements.

Other campaigners have also highlighted the other challenges that face the rail network, however improved connectivity has been welcomed across the
board regardless. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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