Virgin Media O2 has launched its first 4G and 5G services on sections of the Central and Northern Lines, enabling its customers to benefit from very high-speed mobile connectivity on the Tube network for the first time.
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.
4G and 5G has also been rolled out on the Northern Line between Kentish Town and Archway. The works – completed this morning – bring 5G to Archway and Tufnell Park stations, with 4G services now live throughout Kentish Town station.
The rollout is part of a wider project with Transport for London (TfL) and BAI Communications to bring full mobile connectivity to London Underground stations and tunnels, enabling O2 and Virgin Mobile customers to check their emails, stream videos and access the latest travel information while on the move.
Working closely with BAI and TfL, Virgin Media O2 will bring connectivity to large swathes of the Tube network in the weeks and months ahead, ensuring customers can get online at every stage of their journey – from ticket halls to platforms, on trains and through tunnels. By the end of 2024, customers will be able to access 4G services across the entire Tube network, with many stations and tunnels boasting ultrafast 5G services wherever BAI’s infrastructure supports it.
Gareth Turpin, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2
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.
Theo Blackwell, London’s Chief Digital Officer
It’s great to see 5G mobile connectivity now available at a number of Tube stations, proving that the state-of-the-art technology being installed across the network is already future-proofed and adaptable for the next generation of mobile signal. The Mayor committed to Londoners that we would deliver 4G throughout the Tube network as part of his determination to build a better London for everyone and today marks the latest step forward as we work to improve digital connectivity at home, in our high streets, public spaces and across the transport network.
