Customers on the Bakerloo, Metropolitan and Circle lines are now able stay connected for more of their journeys after further sections gained high-speed mobile coverage in recent months, Transport for London (TfL) and Boldyn Networks have announced. In total, around 60 per cent of stations that are ‘underground’ now have coverage, and work is on track to bring coverage to the whole network by the end of the year.
In recent weeks, coverage has been introduced in the tunnelled sections on the Bakerloo line between Queen’s Park and Edgware Road, plus on the Metropolitan line between Euston Square and King’s Cross St Pancras as well as between Barbican and Moorgate. The Circle and District lines have also gained coverage between Cannon Street and Monument, Sloane Square and Victoria, and Bayswater and Paddington.
All four major 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. Having access to high-speed mobile coverage means customers can stay connected as they travel around the Tube to shop, meet friends or visit the city’s many theatres, restaurants and bars. It also means that they can access real-time service updates and plan their journeys while travelling using TfL Go, London’s official travel app.
The expanding coverage 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.
As well as tunnelled sections, busy stations including Vauxhall, Temple, Nine Elms and Gloucester Road have all now gone live. Mobile coverage has also begun to be introduced at major stations like King’s Cross St Pancras, Victoria and Paddington, which will go live in phases due to their size and complexity, focusing initially on ticket halls and platforms.
Hundreds of engineers are regularly working through the night to introduce mobile coverage to more sections of the Tube, delivering the project during the limited overnight engineering hours on the Tube network. The vast majority of the Northern, Bakerloo and Metropolitan lines will have coverage in the tunnels by the end of summer this year.
As well as delivering coverage on the Tube, TfL and Boldyn are also working to introduce coverage to sections of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) that are under-ground, as well as the Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross.
Rebecca Bissell, Director of Information Technology at TfL, said: “We are delighted to be delivering more mobile coverage to our customers across our Tube network. Providing mobile coverage across our network means customers can stay better connected while they travel, allowing them to stay in contact with friends and family, shop online and keep up with the latest news and sports results. We remain focused on having 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the whole Tube network by the end of the year, and more than 600 engineers work hard overnight during limited engineering hours to help deliver this.”
Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, said: “It’s brilliant to see this continued progress on the Mayor’s promise of delivering 4G and 5G across the London Underground, with more mobile coverage for passengers across an ever-growing network of lines and stations. In an increasingly digital world, we’re committed to ensuring that all Londoners and visitors have the connections they need – even whilst on the move – as we build a better London for everyone.”
