Eurotunnel will be introducing 2G and 3G phone services inside the Channel Tunnel in time for the Olympic Games. At the French Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industry, Eurotunnel has signed an agreement with French telcos Bouygues Telecom, Orange SFR and – joining the scheme in 2017 – Free, to bring the high-speed service to its trains.
The installation, which will cost €14m, is a world first, offering data connectivity up to 100 metres below sea level along the 53km tunnel, to almost 20m customers annually. Based on equipment from British company Axel Wireless, the infrastructure will be provided by Alcatel-Lucent, also currently installing GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications-Railways) equipment in the Channel Tunnel.
“Eurotunnel, the vital link between the UK and France, is proud to commit to this investment which will enable the connection of peoples, nations and cultures in this time of instant communications,” says Jacques Gounon, Eurotunnel CEO. “Eurotunnel is sure that enabling mobile communications from below the waves will be an attraction for many customers.” 
The connection will only be available before the Olympic Games on trains running South, from France to the UK. British operators will be responsible for covering the North-running tunnel after the Games.
