20 April 2020

Transport for London’s (TfL) planned trial with O2, Vodafone, Three UK and EE of a new 4G mobile (mobile broadband) network along the Jubilee Line has gone live.

Initially, this trial only covers the eastern section – platforms and tube trains in tunnels between Canning Town and Westminster stations – but the plan is to cover all platforms and tunnels on the whole of the line by the end of 2020.

The TfL project was first officially announced in July 2019 and ultimately aims to make 4G services available across the whole of their London Underground network by the “mid-2020s”. 

It will allow passengers to make phone calls, check for the latest travel information, catch up on social media, watch a video and read their emails or the latest news “uninterrupted” during their journeys. Ticket halls and corridors within stations are also covered by the pilot, except for London Bridge and Waterloo stations where the signal will just be available on the Jubilee line platforms.

“We’re proud to be working with TfL and other mobile network operators to bring connectivity to where our customers need it most and we are excited to see the future potential of this project as it expands across the tube network,” said Derek McManus, chief operating officer of O2.

David Dyson, Three UK’s outgoing CEO added: “Every year, the average London commuter spends two weeks on the tube travelling to and from work, so there’s a huge opportunity for us to help people reclaim that valuable time.”

The trial was announced by TfL last July and went live March 17 2020.