Melbourne's train tunnels are destined to remain a telecommunications dead zone for another three to six months, breaking a promise by the former Napthine government to fix the City Loop black spot by the year's end.
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It is feared mobile services could interfere with the digital train radio system train drivers use to communicate with Metro's train control centre.
The long-running project to provide mobile services in the Loop is being led by government corporation VicTrack, in partnership with Optus, Telstra and Vodafone.
A VicTrack spokesman said the start of mobile phone services in the City Loop, announced earlier this year by the former government, had been delayed.
"The first phase of the service, the start of 3G mobile phone coverage in the City Loop is now expected in the second quarter of 2015 and the second phase, the 4G service, is now expected in the second quarter of 2016," Jason Murray said.
Mr Murray said technicians had had limited opportunity to access the City Loop outside train running times, "to resolve issues that have the potential to cause interference between the mobile service and the Digital Train Radio System - the metropolitan train driver communication system required for train operations".
Former premier Denis Napthine announced in June the imminent end of the "annoying" black spot for the millions of people who travel in the Loop each year.
"No longer will a passenger on a mobile phone need to say, 'I'm just about to cut out, I'm going through the Loop,'" Dr Napthine said.
Sydney has had mobile coverage in its longer and more complex subway since 2012.
Public Transport Users Association president Tony Morton said the delay was disappointing, and the potential for interference between mobile phones and the $152 million digital train radio system should have been foreseen.
"People find it increasingly frustrating," Dr Morton said. "With the ubiquity of 3G and 4G data services that everyone relies on these days, it's becoming increasingly anachronistic that you can get online anywhere except in the City Loop tunnels."
