The London Underground is being dragged into the 21st century, one Tube line at a time, as the mobile coverage upgrade continues.
The bugbear of commuters – mobile data cutting out just when you’re trying to let your boss know you’re caught in a Tube delay – will soon be a thing of the past because more of the TfL Underground network is being hooked up to 4G and 5G coverage.
Now around 60% of Tube
While most of the coverage is mainly in central London at the moment, the entire network is on track to be connected by the end of the year.
Scroll on to see the full list of stations and sections of the Tube that are now connected.
Map of London Underground mobile coverage
All four major UK operators – Three, EE, Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 – are taking part in the upgrade.
Here are the latest Tube sections and stations that have been linked up in recent weeks.
- Bakerloo line between Queen’s Park and Edgware Road
- Metropolitan line between Euston Square and King’s Cross St Pancras, and between Barbican and Moorgate
- Circle and District lines between Cannon Street and Monument, Sloane Square and Victoria, and Bayswater and Paddington
- Vauxhall station
- Temple
- Nine Elms
- Gloucester Road
Meanwhile, full coverage at King’s Cross St Pancras, Victoria, and Paddington stations is first being rolled out in ticket halls and on platforms only due to their complexity and size.
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And the other sections are not far off either – engineers from Boldyn Networks are working to have the majority of the Northern, Bakerloo and Metropolitan lines covered by the end of this summer.
The underground sections of Docklands Light Railway (DLR) will also get coverage along with the Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross.
The flipside of the upgrade? There could be a rise in the number of bare beaters, named one of the worst acts by Metro readers last year,
The bad habit has become so rampant that even TfL issued a reminder to passengers today, telling them to please consider others and wear headphones when listening or watching something.
London’s mobile network at street level can also leave a lot to be desired, with tall buildings and crowds often hampering connection, so work is going on to install more small-cell technology on lampposts.
Reaction to the mobile coverage rollout
Law student Mali Fraz Ahmad told Metro that the mobile network will help him to study for his solicitor exams and read ebooks while on the move.
However, Metro reader Bob Barthram said he never takes his phone out during a journey and that ‘it is annoying hearing phones going off and people talking on them’ in carriages.
London TravelWatch, the capital’s passenger watchdog, welcomed the better coverage, which can help people to plan their onward journeys and check any disruptions.
A spokesperson told Metro: ‘This is also particularly important to us as better mobile coverage can make passengers feel safer as they travel, as they can get in touch with someone if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable, and they can also get online more quickly and easily to immediately report anything they see or experience on the network.’
Rebecca Bissell, from TfL , said: ‘We remain focused on having 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the whole Tube network by the end of the year, and more than 600 engineers work hard overnight during limited engineering hours to help deliver this.’
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