Customers on the Elizabeth line can now stay connected throughout their journey, with high-speed 4G mobile coverage now available across the entire line. This is a key milestone in the Mayor and Transport for London’s (TfL’s) commitment to bring mobile connectivity to the whole of London’s transport network.
Following all Elizabeth line stations and the first tunnel sections between Paddington and Liverpool Street getting mobile coverage earlier this year, TfL and Boldyn Networks (Boldyn), have now completed work to bring coverage to the remaining tunnels. This means hundreds of thousands of customers travelling across central London to Whitechapel, Stratford, Canary Wharf, Custom House and Woolwich will enjoy seamless connectivity as they travel between stations.
Bringing high-speed mobile coverage to London’s underground stations and tunnels means that customers can stay connected as they travel around the capital and share all the exciting things London has to offer. It is also a key component of TfL and the Mayor’s plan to help Londoners stay safe while using the network. All four mobile network operators; Three UK, EE, Vodafone, and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), are taking part in the rollout.
Along with providing customers greater freedom to explore the internet and contact friends and family, the expanding coverage will also give TfL staff better connectivity to pass on information to support the safe and reliable running of the network, as well as host the new Emergency Services Network (ESN). The ESN, when fully operational, will give first responders immediate access to life-saving data, images and information in live situations and emergencies on the frontline.
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TfL and Boldyn are working to introduce high-speed 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the whole Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Elizabeth line network, including on the London Overground Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross.
Large sections of central London now have coverage, and work is underway to expand coverage along the Northern line towards Morden, as well as between King’s Cross St Pancras and Moorgate by the end of the year and early 2025. Coverage on the Bakerloo line will shortly be extended along the tunnelled sections between Piccadilly Circus and Embankment, with further stations along the line, as well as the Piccadilly and Victoria lines, set to get coverage in the coming months.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Bringing mobile coverage to the Underground network is a key commitment of mine, so I’m delighted that the entire Elizabeth line network now has 4G connectivity.
“This is yet another step towards ensuring Londoners and visitors can stay connected on our transport network and means customers can access the latest travel information, keep in touch with colleagues, friends and family throughout their journey on the Elizabeth line.
“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.”
Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner said: “I’m delighted that the entire Elizabeth line now has mobile coverage, making it even easier for customers to stay connected especially as we approach the festive period. This has been a vital project for our customers involving a range of complex engineering skills, all carried out during engineering hours, and we are working hard to bring the benefits of being able to stay in contact while travelling through our city as quickly as possible to the rest of the network.”
Igor Leprince, Group CEO at Boldyn Networks, said: “We are pleased to see the great progress made in bringing high-quality mobile connectivity to the Elizabeth line and beyond. Delivering seamless, high-speed connectivity across London’s transport network is transformational for both passengers and operational teams, and we are delighted to be playing a fundamental role in making this happen.
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“This milestone reflects our shared commitment with TfL to enhancing the travel experience with reliable and high-quality connectivity across the city, connecting the places that matter. We look forward to continuing the roll out at pace and delivering the exceptional service Londoners increasingly rely on.”
Michael Roberts, CEO of London TravelWatch, said: “It’s great that the Elizabeth Line is now fully connected, enabling passengers to stay online as they travel around London. This is also a really important step towards making passengers feel safer on transport as not only can they get in touch with someone if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable, they can also go online to immediately report anything they see or experience on the network.
“We look forward to seeing mobile coverage rolled out over more of the underground network in the coming months.”
Amir Dawoodbhai, Youth Panel Executive, said: “Like so many in this city, young Londoners live through connectivity, as much in the digital world now as well as the physical world. Full mobile coverage across the Elizabeth line will be a valuable asset in terms of safety, accessibility and assurance making independent travel that much easier. We can look forward to these benefits being further realised as equivalent coverage rolls out on other modes in the coming months.”
Boldyn Networks, one of the world’s leading neutral host network providers, was awarded a 20-year concession by TfL in June 2021 to deliver high speed mobile connectivity across the entire London Underground network. Boldyn is also installing a fibre backbone across the capital to improve connectivity both above and below ground, bringing wide reaching socio-economic benefits to local businesses and communities.
Hundreds of people are working overnight across the Tube network to install mobile equipment, with all works needed to be tidied away before the network opens for customers every morning. Once fully delivered, more than 2,000 kilometres of cabling as well as thousands of radios are expected to be installed within tunnels and stations, all of which will be fitted outside of operational hours.
For more information, please visit tfl.gov.uk/get-online.
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