Going underground: Tube set for more 4G connectivity in central London

Commuters will soon no longer have to rely on intermittent tube station wifi to read CityAM.com – with 4G connectivity coming to a host of new stations.

According to Transport for London, final 4G testing is underway at Camden Town, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

If successful it will mean 4G is available at some of the tube network’s busiest stations.

Broadband connectivity is part of a 20 year deal between TfL and tech firm BAI Communications.

The underground network is one of London’s most high profile ‘not-spots’ according to Ofcom .

Tube tunnels will soon host a new high-capacity fibre optic network, with stations will become connectivity hubs with so-called lighting columns, and bus stops will host a network of small mobile transmitters to improve city-wide connectivity.

Currently, the Jubilee line has coverage from from Westminster to Canning Town. Similarly, the Central line boasts of mobile coverage between Queensway, Notting Hill Gate and Holland Park. The Northern line has coverage between between Archway, Tufnell Park and Kentish Town.

All four of UK’s major network providers, Vodafone, EE, Three and Virgin Media O2 have signed on to the expansion. Over 2,000 kilometres of cabling and thousands of radios are being installed within Tube tunnels and stations for the project.

Commenting, Simon Pitkeathley, Chief Executive of Camden Town Unlimited, said, “As businesses search for increases in productivity, whilst wrestling with the hybrid world, we need connectivity at all times. This move to bring mobile coverage to the Tube is forward thinking and I, along with many regular Tube users, can’t wait for more stations and tunnels to start getting coverage during 2023.”