Three and EE to Provide High-Speed Mobile Coverage for Entire London Underground

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• Three and EE to Provide High-Speed Mobile Coverage for Entire London Underground

21 December 2021

Transport for London has awarded a 20 year concession to Three and EE, that will give customers uninterrupted access to high-speed mobile coverage across the London Underground for the first time.

All ticket halls, platforms and tunnels across the network will have 4G and 5G-ready mobile connectivity, with coverage on platforms and in tunnels on the Elizabeth line on track to go live next year.

Work at some of London's busiest stations, including Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Bank, Euston and Camden Town, is underway to prepare them to be some of the first to be connected by the end of 2022.

All stations and tunnels across the tube network are due to have high-quality and uninterrupted mobile coverage by the end of 2024.

Helping to Transform London into a Smart City

All mobile operators will be able to access the London Underground WiFi, as well as BAI’s neutral host mobile network, which can also be made available to the Emergency Services Network (ESN).

The infrastructure will also be 5G-ready, allowing seamless upgrades in the future.

BAI is looking to invest more than £1 billion across the Connected London programme, including a full-fibre network that will connect to buildings and street assets, like traffic lights and lampposts that house small mobile transmitter cells to leverage the power of 5G and IoT.

These can then be used by boroughs, academics and developers to deliver improvements in everything from air quality and traffic congestion to public safety and city planning.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “I’m delighted to see Three and EE sign up as the first operators to provide full high-speed 4G access across the tube network. This will make a huge difference to passengers, allowing them to make calls, read emails and check travel information while on the move. Investing in London’s connectivity and digital infrastructure is one important way we are helping to stimulate our city’s economy. It also represents a significant step towards ensuring the whole Tube network has 5G-ready mobile coverage.”

Picture: a photograph of a person on a London Underground train using a mobile phone. They are wearing a face mask and wireless over-ear headphones

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 21 December 2021

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