Phone signal on trains not good enough most of the time, research says

If you've ever tried to run a video call or use AI tools during a train ride in the UK, you're not imagining things. It really is that bad.

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, found that major phone networks aren't delivering reliable signal on trains. To make matters worse, train companies are actively slowing down onboard wi-fi, making it harder to stay productive during commutes.

This matters because remote work and AI-powered tools have made connectivity essential, not optional. If you're using ChatGPT, Midjourney, or any cloud-based service for work, inconsistent train connectivity means dead time instead of productive time.

The findings highlight a gap between how we're expected to work today and the infrastructure supporting it. Train journeys used to be downtime. Now they're supposed to be mobile offices, but the networks haven't caught up.

For professionals relying on AI assistants and cloud tools throughout the day, poor train connectivity isn't just annoying. It's a productivity tax on anyone who commutes by rail.