The UK government has onboarded network companies Freshwave and Neos Networks to eliminate mobile blackspots on Britain's busiest rail routes.

Freshwave and Neos will work alongside Network Rail to bolster telecoms infrastructure along the railway infrastructure in the UK.

Announced today (June 26), Project Reach, as the program has been dubbed by the Transport Secretary, combines public and private sector investment.

The UK government estimates that the infrastructure will save taxpayers around £300 million ($411m), while "creating a high-performing digital connectivity backbone for businesses, supporting the UK’s digital ambitions."

Telecoms infrastructure will be bolstered on several key routes between London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Cardiff.

Neos Networks, a UK fiber network provider, will initially deploy 1,000 kilometers of ultra-fast fiber optic cable along the East Coast Main Line, parts of the West Coast Main Line, and the Great Western Main Line. The company aims to expand this footprint beyond 5,000km in the near future.

"Project Reach will support the upgrade of the UK’s connectivity infrastructure, creating new data superhighways that will drive the UK’s digital ambitions forward," said Lee Myall, CEO of Neos Networks.

Telecoms service provider Freshwave will combat the issue of blackspots in 57 tunnels, covering 50km, including the 4km-long Chipping Sodbury tunnel near Bristol.

Mobile operators investment

The government confirmed that the country's mobile network operators - VodafoneThree, EE, and Virgin Media O2 - will also invest in new 4G and 5G infrastructure across a dozen of the UK's biggest Network Rail stations.

These stations include: Birmingham New Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Edinburgh Waverley, Euston, Glasgow Central, King’s Cross, Leeds, Liverpool Lime Street, Liverpool Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Paddington, and Waterloo.

"By boosting connectivity and tackling signal blackspots, we are also ensuring a more reliable and efficient service," said Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport.

The first installation of mobile infrastructure is expected to start next year, ahead of a full rollout by 2028.

According to the government, the network infrastructure upgrades will support improved monitoring of railway assets and facilitate new technologies that rely on improved connectivity, paving the way for more reliable train services and improved safety for railway workers.