You’ll soon be able to access mobile data wherever you are on the London Underground, thanks to a new deal agreed by EE and Three.
Three and EE have joined forces with the BAI Communications network to provide 4G and 5G-ready mobile connectivity across the London Underground.
Once the project is completed, you’ll be able to use mobile data seamlessly as you make your journey across the capital, whether in the tunnels or at the stations of the Underground network, so you can read emails, browse your social media feeds, or just keep yourself entertained without any interruptions.
Work is currently underway to at some of the busiest stations in London, including Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Bank, Euston and Camden Town, to prepare them to be connected by the end of 2022. Connectivity is planned to be extended to the full network two years after that, by the end of 2024.
Upon this announcement the 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.”
Billy D’Arcy, CEO of BAI Communications UK, added: “We’re pleased to welcome Three and EE as our launch partners and the first operators who will be transforming customer experience on the London Underground by enabling them to access seamless, 5G-ready connectivity. This is an important next step on the project’s journey which will allow passengers to move around the capital more smartly, safely, and securely. More broadly, the new backbone of connectivity will create a platform for innovation and allow London’s residents and businesses to harness smart city technology, helping to improve urban life and boost the economy.”
The CEO of Three, Robert Finnegan, said: “Three is delighted to be part of bringing even more connectivity to London. Three customers will be able to enjoy smooth streaming, phone calls underground and continued seamless coverage while they travel, even in tunnels.”
His opposite number at the BT Group (the parent company of EE), declared that “this is huge news for customers and for London, bringing EE’s coverage to previously unreachable parts of the city’s transport system. This deal puts BT at the heart of plans to help London digitally leapfrog its rivals and maintain its status as a world-leading destination for tourists and businesses, as well as a home to millions of citizens. Our investment in the capital is part of our mission to digitise the entire UK, as we build like fury to expand our fibre and mobile networks further and faster than anyone else.”
