Virgin Media O2 UK Finally Deploys 5G on London Underground

O2 (VMO2) has just become the last of the four primary mobile providers to start deploying their ultrafast 5G (mobile broadband) service on the London Underground (tube trains), which have been deployed on the Central Line between Queensway and Holland Park, and on the Northern Line between Kentish Town and Archway.

On the Central Line, 4G and 5G services have been rolled out in the tunnels between Queensway and Holland Park, providing seamless connectivity for customers travelling through these stations. Notting Hill station has been upgraded to become a full 5G station – with the latest mobile network now available on Central Line platforms and in ticket halls – while 4G services have been introduced at Queensway and Holland Park stations.

The service has also been rolled out on the Northern Line between Kentish Town and Archway. The works – completed on Thursday (16th) morning – bring 5G to Archway and Tufnell Park stations, with 4G services now live throughout Kentish Town station.

The move to introduce this service doesn’t come as much of a surprise because all of the primary operators are sharing the same network platform from Boldyn Networks (BAI Communications). BAI holds a 20-year concession deal with Transport for London (here), which allows them to build the new fibre-fed mobile infrastructure and to then make it available via wholesale.

Gareth Turpin, Chief Commercial Officer at VMO2, said:

“For the first time, our customers can access the latest 5G mobile services deep under London. This is set to revolutionise commuting in the capital, and in the weeks and months ahead we’ll be rolling out ultrafast mobile services at more Tube stations, in tunnels and on platforms to bring high-speed connectivity to our customers as they travel on the Underground.

This is part of our commitment to upgrading the UK and ensuring customers can access our network wherever they are.”

The ultimate goal is to cover the entire London Underground with the new 4G and now 5G network by late 2024 (ticket halls, platforms and tunnels), so we’re expecting to see the network coverage expand a lot during 2023 and further announcements will no doubt follow.

Operators are already able to access 4G services on the Jubilee Line between Canning Town and Westminster stations after services went live in 2020 as part of earlier work carried out with TfL and other mobile operators.