Mobile phone signal technology on regional Victorian trains to be rolled out

NEW technology will finally be rolled out across regional train lines to stop passengers losing a mobile phone signal, almost 17 months after the project was announced.

New technology will finally be rolled out across regional train lines to stop passengers losing a mobile phone signal. Generic picture: iStock

NEW technology will finally be rolled out across regional train lines to stop passengers losing a mobile phone signal, almost 17 months after the project was announced.

All major mobile carriers — Telstra, Optus and Vodafone — have signed on to the $18 million project that should remove frustrating black spots.

The project will include Australian-first in-train technology to boost the signal from mobile phone towers.

The “reception repeaters” will be installed in VLocity trains, while 35 new mobile towers will also be built in a partnership between carriers and the Andrews government.

Small Business and Innovation Minister, Philip Dalidakis, said the “project is a massive win for commuters on our five busiest regional rail corridors”.

Small Business and Innovation Minister Philip Dalidakis. Picture: Mark Stewart

“Regular commuters spend up to 20 hours per week on regional trains and we need to keep them connected so they can keep in touch with their loved ones and use their travel time productively,” he said.

In November, 2015, the government said that contracts would be awarded and new mobile towers should be built by about mid-2016.

Now, passengers are being told they should see improvements by the end of the year, when the in-train technology is piloted, and the full benefits should be realised by the end of next year.

The embarrassing delay is being blamed on the complexity of getting all major carriers on board to ensure all commuters benefit from the project.

Mr Dalidakis said the end result would be better for passengers.

“As frustrating as the delay has been, the outcome is significantly better by including all three major telco providers in the roll out,” he said.

“People are the real winners here. They can be with Optus today, Telstra tomorrow and Vodafone next week and never be worried that they’ll miss an important call from a loved one or a vital work email to close a deal.”

More than 15 million trips are taken on the Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Traralgon, and Seymour lines every year.

Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford said she understood it was frustrating when commuters needed to do work or homework, or even “check the footy score”, and the signal dropped out.

The type of technology to be used in Victoria trains to boost phone signals is used across more than 30 rail networks in Europe including Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

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