London Underground passengers will soon have full mobile signal and internet access at every station and in every tunnel, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced.
BAI Communications has been awarded a 20-year concession to enable mobile coverage on the entire Tube network, removing one of the most well known ‘not-spots' in the UK.
4G coverage has already been introduced on the eastern half of the Jubilee line, and this will be expanded to ticket halls, platforms and tunnels over the next three years, with full coverage expected by the end of 2024.
A trial of 4G coverage took place back in 2017.
The Tube tunnels can also be used to provide full fibre connectivity in London, which can then be connected to street lighting and bus stops to increase the power of 5G to the city.
BAI is well known for providing 4G and 5G connected infrastructure, with experience of building networks in New York, Toronto and Hong Kong.
The new mobile coverage will be available to be used by all mobile operators and will be 5G ready to allow for a seamless upgrade for mobile operators in the future.
It is expected that more than 2,000km of cables will be fitted, with all of this being fitted outside of operational hours.
Work has begun to prepare some of the busiest stations for the connectivity, including Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Bank, Euston and Camden Town.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “I promised Londoners that if they re-elected me for a second term as Mayor I would deliver 4G throughout the Tube network. It's already up and running on the eastern half of the Jubilee line and I'm delighted to announce today that I am fulfilling that commitment and full internet access will be available across the Tube, with key central London stations such as Oxford Circus and Euston set to benefit before the end of next year.
“Protecting jobs and stimulating our city's economy is a top priority for me as London rebuilds after this pandemic, and investing in London's connectivity and digital infrastructure is central to this.”
Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at TfL, said: “London Underground was born in the 19th century, and this concession to deliver mobile coverage to the whole Tube network ensures it continues to adapt for customers in the 21st century.
“Providing mobile connectivity to customers within the tunnels and on platforms across London will help them stay connected more easily, and will both provide a long-term revenue stream for TfL and support economic growth across the city.”
Billy D'Arcy, CEO of BAI Communications UK, said: “Our long-term partnership with TfL will completely transform the passenger experience, as well as helping to boost London's economy and providing social benefits for years to come.
“By building the most advanced network of its kind in the world here, we are helping London leapfrog other major cities in terms of connectivity and ensure that the capital remains the most attractive place for investment. Across the length of this concession, we fully anticipate investing in excess of £1 billion across the Connected London programme.
“We will also establish a new city-wide high-capacity fibre network throughout London and leverage the power of 5G and the Internet of Things to unlock new opportunities for technological innovation. Our extensive credentials delivering large-scale connected infrastructure and networking solutions position us perfectly to capitalise on the fast-growing commercial appeal of 5G enterprise solutions and smart city applications.”
London First CEO John Dickie said: “This decision is great news for London and comes at just the right moment to give the city's recovery a boost. The increase in connectivity and productivity this investment will bring is welcome news for businesses and passengers alike.
“The new fibre backbone's effects will go beyond transport, helping the whole of London to get high speed connectivity and supporting the capital in the race to harness smart city technology to improve urban life.”
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And people will be like zombies with their phones looking at the screen whilst travelling on the tube except listening to music with their headphones or earphones.