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London Underground Cellular Service: Testing/Discussion

dansus

Pro Member
Given that TFL is rapidly rolling out 4G/5G on the Underground network in London, thought it deserved its own thread.

The installation is being carried out by Boldyn (formerly BAI Communication) under a 20-year concession, where Boldyn covers the installation costs and then rents capacity to the mobile networks.

There is no charge from TfL - you just use your mobile phone and pay your mobile service operator as normal. Rollout is due to be completed by late 2024.


Current tube station phone coverage and map as of May 2024

Central line

  • Holland Park
  • Notting Hill Gate
  • Queensway
  • Lancaster Gate
  • Marble Arch
  • Oxford Circus (Central line only)
  • Tottenham Court Road
  • Holborn (Central line only)
  • Chancery Lane
  • St Pauls
  • Bank (Central line only)
Northern line

  • Belsize Park
  • Chalk Farm
  • Archway
  • Tufnell Park
  • Kentish Town (station closed but 4G will still be provided to platforms for passing trains)
  • Camden Town
  • Mornington Crescent
  • Euston (Charing Cross Branch)
  • Warren Street (Northern line only)
  • Goodge Street
  • Tottenham Court Road
Elizabeth line

  • Paddington
  • Bond Street
  • Tottenham Court Road
  • Farringdon
  • Liverpool Street (Elizabeth line only)
  • Whitechapel
  • Canary Wharf
  • Woolwich
Jubilee line

  • Westminster
  • Waterloo (Jubilee line only)
  • Southwark
  • London Bridge (Jubilee line only)
  • Bermondsey
  • Canada Water
  • Canary Wharf
  • North Greenwich
Piccadilly line

  • Covent Garden
 

Attachments

  • TUBE-MAP-SHOWING-BELOW-GROUND-4G-AND-5G-COVERAGE-MAY-2024.webp
    TUBE-MAP-SHOWING-BELOW-GROUND-4G-AND-5G-COVERAGE-MAY-2024.webp
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As a regular user of the tube for work, this is a subject close to my heart. I have been lucky so far, in that i travel into London Bridge on the mainline and usually jump on the Jubilee line, which has 4G on the platforms and in the tunnels between Canning Town and Westminster for a few years now. (c2018?)

As a BT customer, the station Wifi network has been a godsend, a privilege i have clung onto religiously until very recently. Now that 5G is being rolled out, i can start thinking about using cheaper EE/BT MVNO's like 1p.

Anyway, i will be doing some speed tests, and be on the lookout for notspots and generally reporting back my findings.
 
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As a Virgin media fixed broadband customer who lost Underground Wifi when the wifi provder changed and I left EE for iD mobile, I welcome the rollout of 4G/5G onto all of the network ASAP :) ... will be handy for when i pop down to London for looking up routes and things like that while hiding away from the lovely London rain.

I understand on the current plan, the whole network will have 4G/5G by the end of 2024, is that correct?
 
It is quite ridiculous that at the end of 2023, London, the capital of the UK, doesn't have cellular coverage in most of their subway platforms.
Some platforms provide SIM-EAP auth Wi-Fi but for EE/Three customers only (MVNO is not supported), while they could have broadcast an open access SSID for everyone. Also, you may be surprised to see the antennas of some of the Cisco access points in the stations have been removed.

Glasgow is worse, with neither Wi-Fi nor Cellular in the stations.
 
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It is quite ridiculous that at the end of 2023, London, the capital of the UK, doesn't have cellular coverage in most of their subway platforms.
Some platforms provide SIM-EAP auth Wi-Fi but for EE/Three customers only (MVNO is not supported), while they could have broadcast an open access SSID for everyone.

Glasgow is worse, with neither Wi-Fi nor Cellular in the stations.
To be honest, most underground networks worldwide don't have 4G/5G coverage, I think the London Undergrond is ahead of the game, not behind it.
 
Some platforms provide SIM-EAP auth Wi-Fi but for EE/Three customers only (MVNO is not supported), while they could have broadcast an open access SSID for everyone.
Vodafone too.

GiffGaff, Smarty, Voxi, Lebara and some others can use their providers SSID. I've tested a few EE MVNO's and so far, none have worked on EE_Wifi.
 
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To be honest, most underground networks worldwide don't have 4G/5G coverage, I think the London Undergrond is ahead of the game, not behind it.
It is not a technical issue, they just don't care about it.
 
Glasgow is worse, with neither Wi-Fi nor Cellular in the stations.
When the time comes, i was thinking of opening up this thread to other metro networks like Liverpool and Glasgow. Any developments, feel free to chime in.
 
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Vodafone too.

GiffGaff, Smarty, Voxi, Lebara and some others can use their providers SSID. I've test a few EE MVNO's and so far, non have worked on EE_Wifi.
Thanks for providing the data points!
 
Glasgow has had EE 4G coverage on the Subway Platforms for a few years now Glasgow Central Low Level Station has also had coverage for as long as I can remember unfortunately no coverage in tunnels though or on any other network

Glasgow Subway EE
When the time comes, i was thinking of opening up this thread to other metro networks like Liverpool and Glasgow. Any developments, feel free to chime in.
 
Can someone please remind me which app is in use here? Completely forgotten.

Thx.
 

Attachments

  • LTE app.webp
    LTE app.webp
    37.6 KB · Views: 65
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Thanks.

It was already on my phone, but without a name, i can't find anything on my phone these days. :rolleyes:😂

I have lots of apps on my phone, so to find them more quickly what I do is to have folders on the home screen. Eg:

1.webp


2.webp


Everything about that subject is inside that folder. No need to go through the list of apps or remember their name.
 
I have lots of apps on my phone, so to find them more quickly what I do is to have folders on the home screen. Eg:

View attachment 9484

View attachment 9485

Everything about that subject is inside that folder. No need to go through the list of apps or remember their name.
1000007575.jpg

That sounds familiar S0X. :giggle:
(My tablet is exactly the same) :rolleyes:
 
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