TfL extends 4G mobile coverage across Tube network

Paddington, Canary Wharf, Whitechapel and Woolwich stations have all recently gained 4G mobile coverage – meaning that all Elizabeth line stations now have mobile coverage from ticket halls all the way to the platforms.

Work to deliver coverage within the tunnelled sections of the Elizabeth line continues, with the first sections between Bond Street and Liverpool Street expected to get coverage within the coming month and completion of the whole line later this year.

Providing uninterrupted mobile coverage will allow staff to better provide information and better assist customers with their journeys. The system, delivered in partnership with Boldyn Networks, will also host the new Emergency Services Network (ESN), which when fully operational, will give first responders immediate access to life-saving data, images and information in live situations and emergencies on the frontline.

Following line testing to ensure the introduction of 4G and 5G mobile coverage does not impact existing safety systems required to run a safe and reliable network, the tunnelled section between Euston and Warren Street on the Victoria line, as well as Covent Garden station on the Piccadilly line, have also both begun receiving mobile coverage.

The tunnelled sections between Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park Corner on the Piccadilly line will also go live in the coming weeks, meaning more customers heading to and from the West End can stay better connected while travelling underground.

Next month, coverage will also begin on the Bakerloo line. The southern end of the Northern line from Stockwell to Morden will also start to get mobile coverage shortly, with 4G and 5G coverage due to become available at Clapham Common station next week, and further tunnels and stations going live during the summer.

All four mobile network operators – Three UK, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) – are taking part in the rollout.

Currently, some 31 out of 121 Tube stations with platforms that are underground, and therefore usually unable to get a mobile signal, have mobile coverage. This is around 25 percent of stations which are below ground, while including above ground stations means that more than two thirds of all stations on the Tube network now have mobile coverage available.

TfL says around 80 per cent of stations across the network as well as the entire Elizabeth line are on track to have mobile coverage by the end of 2024.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said, "This is another step towards ensuring Londoners and visitors can stay connected on our transport network. I promised that customers would be able to access high-speed mobile coverage at all stations and in tunnels, and I'm pleased to see how quickly the team are moving to enable 4G and 5G connectivity.

"Now, customers can access the latest travel information, keep in touch with colleagues, friends and family, use social media and stream music at every station along the Elizabeth line. This is just one of the many ways we are supporting Londoners as we build a better, fairer and more prosperous London for everyone."

Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at TfL said, "It's great to see that all Elizabeth line stations, and even more Tube stations, now have high-quality mobile coverage for the first time. This programme is gathering pace and we are working hard to bring the benefits of being able to stay in contact while travelling through our city as quickly as possible."

Billy D'Arcy, CEO of UK & Ireland at Boldyn Networks, said, "With all Elizabeth lines stations now offering 4G mobile coverage, this milestone shows the rapid progress of our work to deploy connectivity across the London Underground, helping to create a safer and smarter city for residents, businesses and visitors.

Ruth Duston, CEO and Founder of Primera, which operates 12 central London business improvement districts, said, "As well as enabling Londoners and tourists alike to navigate our city and to find out about things to do near them, this is also a welcome milestone for London's reputation as a global tech capital."

The project is being implemented by Boldyn Networks, one of the world's leading neutral host network providers, who was awarded a 20-year concession by TfL in June 2021 to deliver high speed, 5G-ready mobile connectivity across the entire London Underground network.