Customers on the Vodafone network are no longer able to use Wi-Fi in London Underground stations after the mobile network operator decided to stop offering the service.
Wi-Fi coverage is provided by Virgin Media, who started installing it in 2012, and they in turn then resell the Wi-Fi coverage to the mobile networks. If you’re a Virgin Media, EE, O2 or Three customer, then you can use the Wi-Fi service for free as part of your plan.
But not if you’re on Vodafone.
Although Vodafone was among the first of the mobile networks to sign up to offer Wi-Fi coverage to their customers, they have now stopped offering it. Support for Vodafone on the London Underground was dropped a couple of months ago, although most people won’t have noticed yet as travel on the tube is still recovering from the pandemic.
As an alternative, Vodafone customers can buy a WiFi Pass from Virgin Media, which costs between £2 per day to £15 for a month.
In explanation, Vodafone’s official twitter feed says that they alternatively offer 4G coverage on part of the Jubilee line.
A Vodafone spokesperson said: “We have taken the decision not to continue our WiFi service on the London Underground. We continue to supply 4G on the Jubilee Line between North Greenwich and Westminster as part of an agreement with Transport for London (TfL). We also continue to invest in our network above ground across London, with coverage improvements at key stations, including Charing Cross, London Bridge and Waterloo in particular.”
Although TfL is extending the cellular coverage, at the moment it is only live between Westminster and North Greenwich. People are also likely to see their data allowance used up when on the cellular network, which was not usually an issue when using Wi-Fi coverage.
However, with cellular coverage in the tunnels still being rolled out at the moment, if Vodafone wants people to be able to use their phones on the Underground, then terminated the Wi-Fi early, Vodafone has.
Signal I lost Green Park next station must be …..
Thanks Vodafone. The old bait-and-switch trick. Might cancel my contracts with them when it’s up for renewal now.
Vodafone are very woke so have left them anyway..
Ugh.
I’ll be moving to EE then…
The mind boggles…
I’ll be considering moving to EE
By the time my phone connects in a station I have about half a minute of connexion; this is hardly useful. Mobile data in tunnels will be useful, however I can wait half an hour to surface.
“People are also likely to see their data allowance used up when on the cellular network, which was not usually an issue when using Wi-Fi coverage.”
This is the case with Three, but Vodafone actually use your data allowance for the Wifi.
Thanks Vodafone i just renew ny contract with you earlier this month and now I have to go above ground to make a call. As a london underground worker I rely on my phone to get my shifts which I sometimes get when i am at work.
I thought that had been the case. The last couple of weeks I have not been able to connect to the LU WiFi with Vodafone, making my morning trips to work particularly dreary. Well, it’s only 40 minutes without the internet…
are you on the internet all day?
I spend 2 hours min underground daily and having the ability to be reachable helped a lot… sad Vodafone, very sad ….
A step backwards.
They should least done this for new customers not existing customers.
For some of us, a blessing in disguise? As a daily Tube user I sometimes feel a little frustration with my NEW PAYG Three arrangement being dead on Underground stations. The old Three systems work on it, but not the new one introduced back in March 2020.
And then I realise what a great short break – even microholiday – from being online 24/7 it is. I can do the Metro and Standard crossword puzzles instead of watching inane Tik-Toks…
The glass is actually half full 😉
the mind boggles how this was done without any prior notification to the customers!! Having active wifi on the tube lines is massively useful for the thousands upon thousands of commuters daily.
Contract is up in two months and will be switching if this isn’t rectified
I working in underground…so bye bye Vodafone contract I’ll change to another operator
This is not the service I signed up (and paid) for.
Very disappointed.
And a little annoyed.
Vodafone aren’t what they used to be. I will be moving as soon as contract comes to an end. Additionally, all other network providers also give free weekly treats i.e Coffee, Greggs. Vodafone give nothing