{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreias3mdatdoypatt722xeakfborcjifxspzjimar6u3cxljnl3yr5u",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:oznbnvgr7dmvddiyvr7dih52/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmulwrvedfy2"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreieyfw5qofmmukhfyvicbzyetlztsr3qejka5lck5rs3r4z5ydzpxu"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/png",
    "size": 1892338
  },
  "path": "/news/trains-stream-videos-join-video-calls-wifi-major-tech-overhaul",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-27T22:00:15.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "White British births fall to record low as more than 33% of new mothers were born overseas",
    "Transgender taxpayers given access to HMRC fast-track hotline used by MPs and royals",
    "Nasa to build base on the moon BEFORE HS2 is finished",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nLabour is preparing to unveil a £57million initiative that will bring high-speed internet to Britain's railways through cutting-edge satellite technology later this summer.\n\nThe ambitious scheme will see more than 1,400 trains fitted with equipment capable of connecting to low-Earth orbit satellites, delivering ultra-fast broadband to passengers across the network.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nLondon North Eastern Railway and TransPennine services, both notorious for unreliable connectivity, are expected to receive the upgrades first.\n\nInitial installations are expected to begin within months of the announcement, expected by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe project forms part of the government's broader transition towards Great British Railways - the new nationalised body set to manage both infrastructure and train operations.\n\nCurrent connectivity on Britain's rail network remains woefully inadequate, according to Department for Transport research.\n\nPassengers using 4G data experience average speeds of just 3.3Mbps, while those relying on onboard wifi fare even worse at 1.4Mbps.\n\nThe situation is compounded by inconsistent coverage, with travellers only receiving a satisfactory signal barely half the time.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMuch of the existing wifi infrastructure was installed between 10 and 15 years ago, and has seen no subsequent improvements.\n\nPeter Kingsland, senior vice-president of Icomera UK, which supplies wifi services to the rail industry, noted interest in low-Earth orbit satellites is \"growing monthly among UK train operators and globally\" to get things up to speed.\n\nTraditional systems depend on trackside telecommunications masts, meaning service quality deteriorates wherever mobile network coverage is weak or non-existent, particularly in rural areas where complete signal blackouts remain common.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * White British births fall to record low as more than 33% of new mothers were born overseas\n  * Transgender taxpayers given access to HMRC fast-track hotline used by MPs and royals\n  * Nasa to build base on the moon BEFORE HS2 is finished\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTrials using small satellites orbiting between 160km and 2,000km above Earth have achieved download speeds of 200Mbps - far surpassing the 157Mbps average for British households.\n\nOnce fully implemented, the Government expects average speeds across mainline services to increase between five and tenfold, while wifi availability should jump from roughly 50-60 per cent to above 90 per cent.\n\nA complementary initiative called Project Reach will simultaneously tackle connectivity dead zones, by installing fibre optic cables alongside more than 70 tunnels and other areas currently lacking mobile signal.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe satellite approach also addresses network congestion issues, as peak-hour trains carrying village-sized passenger loads can overwhelm nearby telecommunications masts.\n\nThe Transport Secretary views improved connectivity as essential to boosting passenger satisfaction with rail services, with the Government keen to address everyday concerns, alongside its nationalisation agenda.\n\nA Government spokesman said: \"Getting online while on a train has been a perennial annoyance for passengers.\n\n\"Our nationwide upgrade will rocket-boost connectivity on every main line train in Britain over the next few years, tackling both slow speeds and irritating not-spots.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Britons to be able to stream videos and join video calls on train wifi in major tech overhaul"
}