Stay connected under the sea

Many commuters struggle with the frustration of dodgy reception as they try to make calls on a train going in and out of tunnels.

Yet Eurotunnel customers will look on smuggly as they enjoy 2G and 3G services on the sub-sea route after the operator signed a 10-year deal with two British mobile phone companies.

EE and Vodafone paid about a third of the £15 million cost of installing the infrastructure for the service, which was built over 10 months during 2011 and 2012.

Both companies also intend to offer 4G data services in the summer for passengers in the north tunnel travelling from Folkestone to Calais.

It means both Le Shuttle and high speed passengers will be able to use their mobile or tablet at any point of the journey through the Channel Tunnel, 100m below sea level.

Eurotunnel has equivalent agreements with French mobile operators Bouygues Telecom, Orange and SFR, launching serv- ices in the south tunnel in 2012.

Eurotunnel spokesman John Keefe said: “French operators jumped on this in 2012 as they were bringing over spectators for the Olympics.

“UK operators were more interested in getting the Olympic Village up and running at the time but now they are interested because they have been offered the same contract terms the French had two years ago but with the opportunity of launching 4G in the summer.”