Vodafone started of a project to enhance mobile coverage along traintracks. In the coming three years, mobile coverage will be improved across the Netherlands on parts of the railway routes. As mobile traffic increases significantly each year, this is going to contribute to the travel experience and convenience of Vodafone customers in a positive way.
In the coming years, Vodafone will be working in various ways to further improve coverage on and along the traintracks. This includes building new transmission masts and installing additional antennas at existing antenna locations. Vodafone is also going to further optimise its network settings. As a result, the antennas along the railway routes will work together even better and faster.
Throughout the Netherlands
Work will be carried out on a total of 69 different routes spread across the Netherlands. This includes some of the busiest routes, such as Groningen-Zwolle, Amsterdam-Utrecht and Utrecht-Maastricht, as well as a few 'quieter routes'. In addition to these traintrack lines, Vodafone is also focusing on optimising mobile coverage in traintracktunnels, including the well-known Schipholspoortunnel.
Geert Laureijssen, Manager Mobile Connectivity at ProRail, states: "Rail infrastructure manager ProRail aims to ensure that passengers have the most pleasant train travel experience possible. Mobile connectivity is becoming increasingly important for this. It's great that Vodafone is taking concrete steps to improve coverage and quality. We strive to contribute as best as possible by, for example, making our masts available for the installation of equipment and antennas by telecom providers. We also collaborate with telecom providers to create coverage in our rail tunnels."
Once the work on a particular route is completed, Vodafone will make an announcement. Vodafone is drawing up its schedule in consultation with partners and is also dependent on external factors, such as the processing time for permits and the availability of land and buildings to install antennas.
Connected everywhere
André Beijen, Director of Mobile Networks at VodafoneZiggo: "A large part of our customers regularly use the train. During those journeys, they want to be continuously online and reachable – whether it’s for work, attending an online meeting, listening to a podcast or watching their favourite series. Vodafone is committed to further improving connectivity for all our customers, wherever they are."
The 69 routes where Vodafone is working to optimize mobile coverage.
Vodafone is optimising mobile coverage along the railway with its infrastructure partner Cellnex and in cooperation with ProRail. Cellnex owns and operates more than a third of the mobile antenna sites in the Netherlands, making it one of the drivers of the 5G landscape in the Netherlands. In addition, since 2021, Cellnex has had a partnership with ProRail for the management of its antenna sites and the exploitation of these sites for the mobile market.