Transport for London has published an updated on the rollout of high-speed mobile coverage across its network.
Last summer TfL outlined plans for mobile phone coverage on the London Underground, and the body has now confirmed that the first Elizabeth line stations will get 4G and 5G coverage by the end of the year (Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street), with all stations and tunnelled sections on the line going live by the end of spring 2024.
Coverage has also been extended to the ticket halls and Central line sections between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road, with further parts of the Northern and Central lines set to go live in the coming months, including Goodge Street, Chancery Lane and Bank stations.
Initial testing is also set to begin on the Bakerloo, Victoria, Piccadilly lines, ahead of the installation of 4G and 5G technology being introduced later this year.
By the end of the year 33 stations with underground platforms, as well as connecting tunnels, will have mobile coverage, rising to more than 40 by spring 2024, and TfL expects that around 80 per cent of stations across the Tube network will be connected by the end of next year.
Further ahead coverage will also be extended to the Docklands Light Railway and between Highbury and Islington and New Cross on the London Overground within the next two years.
The project is being implemented by Boldyn Networks, with around 500 people working overnight across the Tube network to install mobile equipment.
The “neutral host” network means users of all four of the UK’s mobile network operators – Three UK, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2 – are able to get connected.
Commenting on the news Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner said:
“It’s great to see the first Tube stations in the West End getting high-speed mobile coverage on their phones within the station, as part of the next stage of our project with Boldyn Networks to bring 4G and 5G to the whole Tube network.
“We are committed to delivering this programme which will allow customers to be more connected underground and get the latest travel information and news, as well as stay in contact with work, friends and families while travelling on our network.
“More stations, including the first Elizabeth line stations, will be connected in the coming months and we remain committed to having a significant proportion of the entire Tube network connected by the end of 2024.”
More information on mobile phone and wifi connectivity on the London Underground can be seen at tfl.gov.uk/get-online.
