Customers can now stay connected via high-speed 4G and 5G on new sections of the Tube network as Transport for London (TfL) and Boldyn Networks (Boldyn) complete further installation works to expand mobile coverage on the network.
Mobile coverage has been expanded along the Northern line with the tunnelled section between Balham and South Wimbledon recently getting mobile coverage, as well as Kennington, Oval, Tooting Broadway and South Wimbledon stations. On the Victoria line, coverage is now being rolled out between Vauxhall and Pimlico. This follows coverage on the Piccadilly line and Victoria line being extended up to King’s Cross St Pancras earlier this year, and the Elizabeth line achieving full 4G mobile coverage last year, enabling hundreds of thousands of customers to browse the internet and make calls while travelling along London’s newest rail line.
The latest connected sections means that customers in South London travelling along the Northern line from South Wimbledon to Stockwell now have continuous coverage, with work underway to extend coverage in the tunnels down to Morden and up to Kennington by the end of summer. The Bank branch of the Northern line between Euston and Bank is receiving coverage for the first time, with more mobile networks going live along this section in the coming weeks.
In the coming months, mobile coverage will begin to be expanded along the Jubilee line, starting at Swiss Cottage and working its way along the line to link with existing coverage at Westminster. Major interchange stations such as Green Park and King’s Cross St Pancras, as well as further sections of the Victoria line from Green Park to Brixton, will also start to get high-speed mobile coverage for the first time.
All four mobile network operators (Three UK, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2)) are taking part in the rollout, as part of the Mayor and TfL’s commitment to bring mobile connectivity to the whole of London’s transport network. The expanding coverage will also give TfL staff better connectivity to pass on information to support the safe and reliable running of the network. It will also host the new Emergency Services Network (ESN) which, when fully operational, will be able to give first responders immediate access to life-saving data, images and information in live situations and emergencies on the frontline.
TfL and Boldyn are working to introduce high-speed 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the whole Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Elizabeth line network, including on the Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross. Testing was recently completed to ensure that the introduction of mobile coverage wouldn’t impact the operation of the Tube network on the sub-service lines, meaning that coverage can start to be introduced to these lines later this year.
