Camden Town on the Northern line is the latest station on the London Underground to receive mobile phone coverage on the station platforms, as part of an ongoing rollout of phone coverage in stations and tunnels.
All four mobile network operators – Three, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2 – are taking part in the rollout, which has already delivered 4G on the eastern section of the Jubilee line between Westminster and Canning Town, and both 4G and 5G in parts of the Northern line between Archway and Kentish Town, and on the Central line between Holland Park and Queensway.
The addition of 4G and 5G to Camden Town means that around 10% of tube stations with underground platforms that are usually unable to get a mobile signal, now have mobile coverage.
It’s also been confirmed that Mornington Crescent station will get mobile coverage within a fortnight, and then Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road are expected to be connected in the coming months. In addition to the stations, mobile coverage within the tunnels between Kentish Town, Camden Town and Mornington Crescent stations will become available to customers in the coming months.
The phone coverage is being installed by BAI Communications, which was awarded a 20-year concession to build and operate the mobile network, which they then rent to the mobile networks at no cost to TfL.
Coverage across most of the London Underground and the Elizabeth line is expected b the end of next year. It’s taking time to roll out as even with around 500 people working overnight to install mobile equipment, they only have a few hours to work, and everything needs to be tidied away before the tube opens for customers every morning.
Once fully delivered, more than 2,000 kilometres of cabling as well as thousands of radios will have been installed within tunnels and stations.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “I am delighted to see the promise I made of delivering 4G across the London Underground continuing to progress, with Camden Town joining an ever growing network of line and stations with full connectivity.”
“Growing numbers of underground Tube stations now have 4G services, with many more to come as we continue to invest in London’s digital infrastructure. By increasing connectivity across our capital we are helping to build a better, fairer and more prosperous London for everyone.”
Coverage along the Northern line from Tottenham Court Road up to Golders Green and Highgate is expected later this summer, and testing has also started on the Bakerloo, Piccadilly and Victoria lines ahead of switching on those sections later.
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