EE UK Extend 4G and 5G to West End London Underground Stations

Mobile operator EE (BT) has just announced that their ongoing deployment of a 4G and 5G (mobile broadband) network on the London Underground – in partnership with Boldyn Networks and Nokia – has now reached the first West End stations, starting with Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. But more will follow.

Boldyn Networks (formerly BAI) currently holds a 20-year concession deal with Transport for London (TfL), which was signed in June 2021 (here) and allows them to build the new 4G infrastructure and to then make it available via wholesale for Mobile Network Operators (MNO) to harness, but they won’t all go live at the same pace. The goal of this is to cover the entire London Underground by late 2024 (ticket halls, platforms and tunnels).

So far, all of the aforementioned mobile operators have already deployed across the eastern half of the Jubilee Line and, at the end of last year, they added six more stations including Holland Park, Notting Hill Gate, Queensway, Archway, Tufnell Park, Kentish Town and more. More lines have also been added. Plus, both EE and O2 have enabled 5G on their respective networks.

The latest phase of expansion is now starting to deliver, with EE putting the first stations live in the heart of London’s West End area – Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Coverage will thus be available within the ticket halls, on the Central Line platforms and within the tunnel between the two stations.

In addition to the stations being announced today, EE will soon be delivering “seamless” 4G and 5G at other London Underground stations – with a number, such as Euston, Goodge Street, Chancery Lane and Bank, expected to go live for the Northern and Central lines throughout the coming weeks. EE customers can now connect at a total of 18 London Underground stations, across three different Tube lines.

Greg McCall, BT’s Chief Networks Officer, said:

“Bringing EE’s 4G and 5G to Underground stations in London’s West End is a significant milestone as we continue to connect previously unreachable parts of the city’s transport system. We were one of the first operators to enable high-speed 4G access on the Tube, and we’re delighted to remain at the forefront of this roll-out by connecting two of its busiest stations in the heart of the city. This continued investment in the Capital demonstrates our commitment to delivering 5G connectivity anywhere in the UK by 2028.”

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said:

“I am delighted to see the promise I made of delivering 4G and 5G across the London Underground continuing to progress, with West End hubs Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road joining an ever-growing network of line and stations with full connectivity. This means Londoners and visitors can now access the latest travel information or social media, check their emails, make calls, and stream videos whilst on the move underground. 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.”

Customers using the Victoria and Bakerloo lines at Oxford Circus are expected to be able to benefit from 4G and 5G mobile coverage in the coming months. But we should point out that EE are only the first to announce this coverage expansion, with O2, Vodafone and Three UK being likely to follow with almost identical announcements over the coming days or weeks.

List of latest Underground stations with existing mobile coverage with all four mobile operators:

• Central line – Holland Park, Notting Hill Gate, Queensway, Oxford Circus (Central line only), Tottenham Court Road (Central and Northern lines only)
• Northern line – Archway, Tufnell Park, Kentish Town (station closed from 26 June 2023 due to engineering works, but 4G will still be provided to platforms for passing trains), Camden Town, Mornington Crescent
• Jubilee line  – Westminster, Waterloo (Jubilee line only) Southwark, London Bridge (Jubilee line only), Bermondsey, Canada Water, Canary Wharf, North Greenwich