TfL steps up roll out of mobile coverage on the Tube

A further six London Underground stations will begin offering high-speed mobile coverage to customers, under the latest stage of Transport for London (TfL) and BAI Communications' (BAI) project to bring full coverage to the Tube network.

Customers travelling between Holland Park and Queensway on the Central line got 4G and 5G-ready mobile coverage in late December and coverage between Kentish Town and Archway on the Northern line is going live later this month.

Coverage will be in ticket halls, platforms and the tunnels between stations.

The rollout covers all four of the UK’s host mobile network operators - Three UK, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2). Connecting these six stations marks the next milestone in the introduction of high-speed mobile coverage across the entire Tube network.

Mobile coverage is also about to be introduced at some of London's busiest stations, including Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road and Camden Town. By the end of 2024, all Tube stations, as well as the Elizabeth line, will have 4G and 5G-ready coverage.

Once fully delivered, more than 2,000 kilometres of cabling as well as thousands of radios are expected to be installed within tunnels and stations. Around 500 people are currently working overnight across the Tube network to install mobile equipment, with all works needed to be tidied away before the Tube starts operating each morning.

The Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said, "The Mayor pledged to Londoners that he would deliver 4G throughout the Tube network as part of his commitment to building a better London for everyone - and I have no doubt that this expansion of coverage will help transform journeys for millions of passengers."

Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at TfL, said, "It's great that we have begun to introduce 4G mobile coverage to more stations, meaning that around ten per cent of our stations that are underground will shortly be connected. Progress on delivery is accelerating and together with BAI Communications and the mobile network operators we will connect many of London's busiest stations during 2023 - transforming experience for millions of our customers and helping them stay connected while shopping, visiting events and socialising with friends and family."

In June 2021, TfL awarded BAI a 20-year concession to deliver mobile connectivity on the Tube. BAI's work on the wider Connected London programme will also see the installation of digital infrastructure across the capital, forming a backbone of connectivity. A full-fibre network will connect to buildings and street assets, like traffic lights and lampposts, and leverage the power of 5G and the Internet of Things to drive forward London's ambition to become a truly smart city.