London Underground passengers will be able to get mobile receptions across all networks of stations and tunnels by the end of 2024, according to London's mayor Sadiq Khan.
Popular stations, including Bank, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, Camden Town, and Euston, will have mobile receptions by the end of 2022, with coverage expanding in numerous phases over the next couple of months.
London Underground Mobile Reception
The announcement comes over a year after 4G coverage was launched on the eastern half of the Jubilee line, between Westminster and Canning Town, in March 2020.
Transport for London or TfL, the city's transport authority, stated that the upcoming infrastructure will support 5G networks as well as 4G networks, according to The Verge.
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However, it will be up to mobile operators to offer support for the next-generation mobile network.
London's mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement that he promised Londoners that if he gets re-elected for a second term as mayor of the city, he will deliver 4G throughout the London Underground network.
Khan added that the network is already up and running on the eastern half of the Jubilee line. He vowed he will fulfill his commitment, and full internet access will be available across the Tube, with key central London stations like Euston and Oxford Circus set to benefit the end of 2022.
TfL is now working with BAI Communications to offer coverage across the network. The work will involve laying over 2,000km or 1,242 miles of cabling within stations and tunnels.
Aside from offering mobile coverage to tube passengers, the project should also give benefits for mobile coverage in the city generally, according to Intelligent Transport.
The fiber cabling installed in the London Underground's tunnels will also connect to buildings and other infrastructures like bus stops and street lighting, allowing small mobile transmitters to be installed and increase coverage.
The announcement also came as the number of people who go to the London Underground for transportation has decreased due to the coronavirus pandemic, with massive financial implications for the transport authority.
In June, the United Kingdom government agreed to give TfL the third bailout to keep the services going, bringing the total to over £4 billion or around $5.6 billion. In addition, TfL stated that giving mobile reception across the network will bring in more revenue over the 20-year contract term with BAI.
Reopening of London Underground
The BBC reported that a London Underground line that was shut down when the pandemic began has finally reopened ahead of its schedule.
In March 2020, both the Waterloo and London City line linking Waterloo Station to Bank was shut down as part of the city's efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.
The service was scheduled to begin on June 21, but it opened early because of a sudden increase in people using the Tube. However, the transport bosses stated that it was a welcome step back towards normality for the City.
The popular commuter service was shut on March 20, 2020, to train drivers to work on the Central line to keep that running.
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Written by Sophie Webster
