All mobile networks are currently covered in the Jubilee line tunnels between Westminster and Canning Town, and TfL has confirmed that Bank, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Euston, and Camden Town will be the first stations to gain coverage as part of the network expansion.
The delivery of mobile phone coverage on the London Underground was signed through a concession agreement, which means that BAI Communications will fund the installation at no cost to TfL, while TfL will also earn revenue from the contract over its 20-year lifespan. Since the contract was signed, BAI has been converting the trial network on the Jubilee line to a permanent network before expanding phone coverage across the rest of the London Underground.
TfL says that once the first five stations are operational, additional sections of the tube network, including stations on the Central line in the City and West End, will be operational by summer 2023. TfL and BAI are also working to expand mobile coverage across the recently opened central section of the Elizabeth line between Paddington and Abbey Wood.
Although all mobile networks currently support coverage on the Jubilee line, this is a legacy of the trial agreement, and only Three and EE have previously signed agreements to expand their coverage across the rest of the London Underground. TfL has now confirmed that Vodafone and O2 have also agreed to support expanded coverage on the remaining tube lines.
Furthermore, it has been announced that the Virgin Media-installed Wi-Fi network in the stations will be transferred to BAI to operate on behalf of TfL beginning in April.
I’m delighted that all four major mobile operators are set to provide high-speed, uninterrupted 4G coverage on the Tube,” said Shashi Verma, TfL’s Chief Technology Officer. We are collaborating with BAI Communications to complete the next stations by the end of the year so that our customers can benefit as soon as possible.”
By the end of 2024, all Tube stations and tunnels are expected to have mobile coverage.
BAI’s neutral host mobile network will also house the new Emergency Services Network (ESN), which will provide first responders with immediate access to life-saving data, images, and information in real-time situations and emergencies.
BAI expects to invest more than £1 billion in the Connected London programme to establish a backbone of mobile and digital connectivity for London. A full-fibre network will also be installed, connecting to buildings and street assets such as traffic lights and lampposts, which house small mobile transmitter cells to improve 4G and 5G phone coverage.
