Smartphone signal quality has been boosted around Kings Cross station after the company that’s rolling out phone signals in the London Underground boosted coverage around the mainline station as well.
(c) ianVisits
Boldyn Networks, which is building the tube phone signal network is able to make use of Transport for London’s (TfL) assets such as fibre ducts, lighting columns and bus shelters to host the small cell units that it used to boost the phone signal at King’s Cross.
The reason for the upgrade is that as a major transport hub, the concentration of people using their phones strains the local phone network. To improve the signal quality, small, low powered cellular radio units known as “small cells” are installed at street level, which Boldyn says can bring up to 10 times faster download speeds in high-demand areas, achieving download speeds of up to 300Mbps.
Boldyn is currently boosting coverage in the Kings Cross and Euston area and will expand this over the next two years to cover high footfall areas across the capital.
With the majority of the fibre ducts needed for the project already in place, use of materials such as plastic will be significantly reduced and the roll out will create less disruption, a lower environmental impact and reduced carbon emissions.
However, at the moment, the small cells boost is only available to customers on the EE network.
Theo Blackwell, Chief Digital Officer at the GLA said: “This is great news for EE mobile customers who will benefit from faster mobile network connectivity in bustling areas of the capital. This, coupled with bringing 4G and 5G network access to the London Underground, is all part of our ongoing work to build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”
Shame you can’t get a train due to the strikes lol