Passengers have been frustrated by limited phone reception on Sydney trains. This is what causes blackheads

Picture this: You’ve managed to book a seat on one of Sydney’s busy trains during rush hour.

You’re driving home from work and want to send some emails on your laptop. Or maybe you want to participate in a social media doom scroll on your phone.

But you probably won’t be able to do either for part of your commute.

Why is phone reception bad on trains?

Dreadful phone reception blackspots are affecting internet access on Sydney’s train lines.

Congestion tends to occur during peak hours. When trains fill up with passengers, all our devices try to use phone towers, also known as cell towers.

A woman with red hair and a black jacket is holding her phone on the train platform — Passengers shared their experiences with ABC News. (ABC News: Keana Naughton)

Associate Professor Le Chung Tran, from the School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering at the University of Wollongong, believes there are three possible reasons behind the formation of blackheads.

The first is the lack of 4G/5G coverage and the location of many base stations.

“Mobile base stations are often located in residential areas to serve residents,” he said, adding that commuters and trains probably weren’t the focus when the infrastructure was built years ago.

Trains are also large metal boxes consisting of multiple layers of metal cladding and metallic window colors.

This means they can block radio waves from entering or leaving the car. In addition, when the trains go fast, our phones pass through various base stations.

Phone reception can even be sensitive to physical obstacles around trains, including terrain such as tunnels, concrete walls and vegetation.

“Blackspots are often located in areas filled with obstacles, causing signal attenuation,” Professor Tran said.

The third possible factor is limited spectrum allocation.

“The bandwidth allocated to 4G/5G networks may be insufficient in these blackspot areas,” he said.

Radiofrequency spectrum allows us to communicate through our devices, and the Australian Communications and Media Authority regulates this spectrum allocation through licences.

A large crowd of people stands on the train platform. — Commuters regularly reach for their phones to work or distract themselves while on public transportation; The problem occurs when there is no service. (AAP: Glenn Campbell)

However, the increase in population and the increasing need for more spectrum puts us in a difficult situation.

It’s not as simple as telcos buying more spectrum to use; They are already spending millions of dollars for the spectrum they already own.

Worst reception blackheads in Sydney

Passengers told ABC News that the T1 North Shore and Western Line, T2 Inner West and Leppington Line and T3 Bankstown Line were the biggest disappointments.

Bad experiences have also been reported on the Central Coast and Newcastle Line from Berowra to Woy Woy.

The specific black spots identified were between Lewisham and Newtown, North Strathfield and Rhodes, St Peters and Central and Wynyard and Milsons Point.

Sydney commuter Merlin said: “I’m trying to work and my laptop freezes due to very low signal or lack of signal,” describing this common occurrence as “annoying”.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has received a number of complaints from the public about poor service quality or dropout when traveling by train.

Since July 2022, the area with the most complaints to the ombudsman has been between Central and Stanmore, with five specific complaints.

How can I improve my phone reception?

Professor Tran, who believes it should be the government’s duty to take action on this issue, said it was difficult for commuters to prevent or fix black spots.

The federal government has a Mobile Blackspot Programme, which invests in telecommunications infrastructure to improve coverage, but Professor Tran said funding for this was “limited”.

“Changing the infrastructure and increasing the number of 4G/5G base stations is not an easy solution economically,” he said.

“Connecting new base stations to existing base stations is also a costly problem.”

Other solutions suggested by Professor Tran included removing or limiting various barriers around train lines or investing in satellite internet systems.

where is the crime

A Transport for NSW spokesman said mobile operators were responsible for initiating, funding and delivering infrastructure upgrades needed to improve mobile coverage and eliminate black spots.

They said it makes sense why commuters are noticing far fewer reception issues on the new Metro and train lines.

Transport for NSW said: “Sydney Metro funded and delivered the supporting mobile telecommunications infrastructure in the city tunnels and stations. An agreement was negotiated with a leading operator to install base station equipment and provide mobile coverage for all telecommunications providers’ customers.”

“The entire infrastructure in Sydney Metro Northwest was funded and delivered by the telcos themselves.”

Train doors open at the new Sydney Underground station. — The difference in phone reception between the Sydney Underground and train lines has not gone unnoticed by commuters. (ABC News: Timothy Ailwood)

An Optus spokesperson said they had installed a range of in-building coverage solutions to extend coverage in “challenging areas”.

5G upgrades have also been made around Sydney CBD and Haymarket, aiming to minimize service disruptions on the T1 line.

“While these efforts have significantly increased coverage, achieving 100 percent coverage in these types of environments remains challenging,” the spokesperson said.

A Sydney train pulls into a railway station in Parramatta. — Telecommunications companies provided their statements to ABC News. (ABC News: Keana Naughton)

A Telstra spokesman said they had a project underway in Sydney’s CBD and other parts of the city to improve rail reception.

“Coverage on trains can be even trickier. Especially in city centers and open areas like the Harbor Bridge, your phone sometimes needs a little time to cut out some ‘noise’,” they said.

Vodafone said it was “always working to identify and address any potential coverage gaps” on Sydney trains.

Telcos encouraged customers to reach out if they are experiencing network issues in certain locations.

What can passengers do?

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman spoke to ABC News about the issue.

“Telecommunications services are essential services that are as important to our lifestyle as gas and electricity in our homes,” said Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert.

“Interruptions and spotty service can be annoying, but it can be even more important for people who rely on telecommunications for employment, health reasons and social connection.

“Anyone who has a problem with their phone or internet should first contact their telecommunication company and if the problem cannot be solved, contact my office” he said.

Ultimately, solving the blackspot dilemma is complex, given many different technical factors.

But for commuters, complaining to their telecommunications company if there is an ongoing problem can set a precedent for change.