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Amazon TV shows are hopping aboard Eurostar trains
Thanks to our need for constant amusement, whether you're on a plane, train or automobile, these days you never have to look at a rubbish book again. The Eurostar high-speed train network has had a bring-your-own-device entertainment service of its own for a while now, but a new partnership with Amazon means Prime Video-exclusive TV shows are joining that catalog. Provided you've hopped onto one of Eurostar's newer e320 trains, you can connect to the on-board WiFi, load up the Eurostar app and you'll find shows like The Grand Tour, Transparent and Man in the High Castle ready for streaming. And whether you're going from London to Paris or Brussels to Lille, there'll be something on there to keep the kids quiet for an hour, too.
EE and O2 are now serving 4G inside the Channel Tunnel
Having mobile internet access inside the Channel Tunnel is useful, but where are those faster speeds we were promised? Well, after expanding their 2G and 3G networks in March, EE and O2 are finally offering 4G connectivity on the Eurostar. Vodafone could soon get in on the action too, after the network said in January it would also be rolling out its own 4G coverage inside the tunnel (although it's yet to provide any clues as to when that will happen). Regardless, the superfast speeds from EE and O2 mark another milestone for the iconic 31.4-mile underpass, which has been jettying passengers between England and France for over 20 years. So, the next time you travel to Paris (or beyond), you might want to rethink your preferred mode of transport -- if you want to stay connected and actually get some work done, the Eurostar could be a better option than a direct flight.
UK travellers set to get 3G and LTE services inside the Channel Tunnel
For more than a year, the Channel Tunnel (a 32-mile mile underwater tunnel connecting England and France) was regarded as French territory, as far as the mobile industry was concerned. Three major French carriers had signed deals with EuroTunnel to offer access on its networks, leaving British travellers without access. That's set to change, however, after UK providers EE and Vodafone announced they will supply 2G and 3G access to customers journeying to France from March. Both companies say 4G services are coming, but will arrive a little later down the line. While neither company has detailed the data speeds you can expect to receive as you pass under the world's busiest seaway, EE suggests you'll still be able to prepare for meetings, check your emails and watch streamed movies when its LTE service goes live in the summer.
UK and French carriers working on cellular coverage for Channel Tunnel, aim to finish by 2012 Olympics
If you live in a technophile city like Taipei, you'll have been enjoying underground 4G for a long time now, but in London the rule is that you have to bid adieu to your mobile connectivity when diving into a tunnel. The city's Mayor has been active in encouraging (forcing?) the major British carriers to install the necessary equipment to provide coverage on the Tube, and now we're hearing that ambition has stretched beyond the nation's borders as well. The Daily Telegraph reports that Vodafone, O2, Everything Everywhere, and Three from the UK along with Orange, SFR and Bouygues from France have agreed to share the cost of putting together a £20 million ($30.8m) project for making cellular coverage possible while traveling through the 31.4-mile Channel Tunnel between the two countries. The goal is to get things up and running by the Olympics in 2012, though we've no indication as to what speeds those wireless data transfers will reach. Still, having some bars is better than none, right?
