Starting today, high-speed rail passengers are to enjoy better mobile phone reception and faster Internet service when trains pass through tunnels in northern Taiwan after telecoms completed installation of more 4G base stations.

The project is part of the Executive Yuan’s plan to upgrade the nation’s wireless Internet service, known as iTaiwan, in public places, as well as in public transport systems.

Apart from the high-speed rail, the Cabinet also aims to increase the number of iTaiwan hot spots nationwide, including at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), the Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, Taiwan Railways Administration trains and stations, national scenic areas and venues that are to host Taipei Universiade events.

Internet service quality for passengers on high-speed trains has over the past few years become the focus of public discussions, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said, adding that the project was a cross-departmental collaboration between the NCC, the Executive Yuan and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

The Executive Yuan provided public property along the high-speed rail line for the installation of more 4G base stations, while five telecoms were asked to install base stations and other equipment necessary to provide service, the commission said.

Equipment would need to be installed along the route, inside tunnels and on trains, the commission added.

The first stage of the project aims to improve 4G reception in tunnels between Taipei and Hsinchu County, which a construction team completed before the Taipei Universiade opens on Saturday, NCC spokesperson Weng Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said.

The second stage is to improve reception in tunnels between Taichung and Changhua County by October, Weng said, adding that the third stage would improve 4G coverage throughout the entire high-speed rail network by the end of this year.

Increasing the number of 4G base stations was a crucial task, as the 4G network would be used to provide Internet connectivity for Wi-Fi service on the high-speed rail system, Weng said.

In addition to improving reception, the Executive Yuan plans to increase the average speed of the Wi-Fi service from an average of 1 megabit per second (Mbps) to 5Mbps.

Separately, Taoyuan Metro Corp said that it has converted cup holders on express trains on the Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line into mobile charging stations.

Passengers will no longer need to carry their own cables, as they can now use the chargers, which are equipped with connectors for iPhones and Android smartphones, including those that use USB Type-C connectors, it said.