This morning, the phones of Elizabeth line commuters likely began buzzing with connectivity as 4G smartphone coverage was introduced at four central stations along the railway.
Passengers now have connectivity throughout ticket halls, connecting corridors and platforms at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street stations. This enhanced service complements the existing WiFi coverage in the stations, but it does tend to connect faster than WiFi, which is an added benefit for people checking messages as they pass through stations.
So that phones can work on more of the Elizabeth line, Transport for London (TfL) and Boldyn Networks will be working throughout the holidays so that the entire Elizabeth line will have smartphone coverage by the end of spring 2024. Recent progress also means that Boldyn Networks can now deliver 4G and 5G coverage to the tunnelled sections rather than just 4G coverage as previously expected.
Projected phone coverage by spring 2024 (c) TfL
Elsewhere, large sections of the London Underground across the West End now have mobile connectivity, and the Victoria and Piccadilly lines will start getting coverage by the end of March 2024. Progress means that a significant proportion of the London Underground remains on course to have 4G and 5G mobile coverage by the end of 2024.
Currently, around 20% of Tube stations with platforms that are underground, and therefore usually unable to get a mobile signal, now have mobile coverage. When combined with sections of the Tube which are above ground, this means that around two-thirds of the whole network has mobile coverage.
By the end of spring 2024, the first stations on the Bakerloo, Victoria and Piccadilly line will have mobile coverage in stations and within tunnels in central London, meaning that around 40 stations with platforms that are underground, and therefore usually unable to get a mobile signal, as well as connecting tunnels, will have mobile coverage.
Boldyn Networks is also progressing with work to bring mobile coverage to the southern end of the Northern line, with the first sections going live during summer 2024, and more widely across Central London, with a significant proportion of the entire Tube network (around 80% of stations across the network) and the Elizabeth line, having mobile coverage by the end of 2024.
Boldyn Networks is paying for the mobile coverage rollout at no cost to TfL, and Boldyn then leases the capacity they’ve installed to the mobile network operators to cover their costs.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “The new mobile coverage at these stations will be a major boost for those travelling around London – connecting key business centres and some of the popular parts of Central London and the West End. It will help Londoners and visitors to the capital to better navigate the capital and stay connected underground. Growing numbers of underground Tube stations now have 4G and 5G services, with many more to come as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”
Around 500 people are working overnight across the Tube network to install mobile equipment, with everything tidied away before the network opens for customers every morning. Once fully delivered, more than 2,000 kilometres of cabling and thousands of radios will have been installed within tunnels and stations, all of which will be fitted outside of operational hours.
The wider Connected London programme being delivered by TfL and Boldyn will also see the installation of digital infrastructure across the capital, forming a backbone of connectivity. The network will also host the Home Office’s Emergency Services Network (ESN), which will replace the older Airwave system currently used by London’s emergency response teams.
Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “I’m delighted that the first stations on the Elizabeth line now have high-quality mobile coverage. This is a vital project for London, allowing customers to be more connected underground and get the latest travel information and news, as well as stay in contact with work, friends and families while travelling on our network. Our engineers will be working closely with Boldyn Networks over Christmas and throughout 2024 to expand coverage to more stations and tunnels across London, and we remain committed to having a significant proportion of the entire Tube network connected by the end of 2024.”
List of underground platforms with phone coverage
Central line:
- Holland Park
- Notting Hill Gate
- Queensway
- Oxford Circus (Central line only)
- Tottenham Court Road
- Holborn (Central line only)
Elizabeth line:
- Bond Street
- Tottenham Court Road
- Farringdon
- Liverpool Street
Northern line:
- Belsize Park
- Chalk Farm
- Archway
- Tufnell Park
- Kentish Town (station closed, but 4G still provided for passing trains)
- Camden Town
- Mornington Crescent
- Euston (Charing Cross Branch)
- Warren Street
- Goodge Street
- Tottenham Court Road
Jubilee line
- Westminster
- Waterloo (Jubilee line only)
- Southwark
- London Bridge (Jubilee line only)
- Bermondsey
- Canada Water
- Canary Wharf
- North Greenwich
The contract with Boldyn Networks was for the London Underground, but the Mayor of London recently expanded the contract to also improve coverage on the DLR and London Overground.
Now thats a little bit of Good News of getting a bit of 4G along London Underground. But not all across London Underground. At least it will be a Start. Hopefully it will one day. Probably before the year 2030.
I had signal at Farringdon, TCR, Bond Street and Paddington on the Lizzy Line platforms and quite a bit into the tunnels yesterday afternoon. I thought that was new! It worked quite well, much better than the WiFi.
Surely the map should also show the above ground sections as having coverage (though there are plenty of black spots around London)
As the map title is “below ground 4G and 5G coverage, it shouldn’t show the above ground coverage.