The rollout of 4G infrastructure across the underground sections of the Elizabeth Line is now complete as London’s transport board continues its sluggish implementation of the technology across the capital’s network.

The completion means Transport for London (TfL) now offers mobile coverage in some or all of the Elizabeth, Central, Victoria, Northern and Jubilee lines. But most of the sprawling underground network is still without connectivity.

London is behind several other major European capitals in the speed of its implementation of mobile signal underground. The entire Paris metro was connected to 4G back in 2020, while the Lisbon metro saw 4G connectivity fully implemented across its network as far back as 2018.

The slothful speed is in marked contrast to other tech rollouts like contactless payments, for which London was significantly ahead of other metro systems globally.

TfL said the expanding coverage will also give its staff better connectivity to pass on information to support the safe and reliable running of the network, as well as host the new Emergency Services Network (ESN). The ESN, when fully operational, will give first responders immediate access to life-saving data, images and information in live situations and emergencies on the frontline.

TfL and Boldyn are working to introduce high-speed 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the whole Tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Elizabeth line network, including on the London Overground Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross.

Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner said: “This has been a vital project for our customers involving a range of complex engineering skills, all carried out during engineering hours, and we are working hard to bring the benefits of being able to stay in contact while travelling through our city as quickly as possible to the rest of the network.”

Work is now underway to expand coverage along the Northern line towards Morden, as well as between King’s Cross St Pancras and Moorgate by the end of the year and early 2025. Coverage on the Bakerloo line will shortly be extended along the tunnelled sections between Piccadilly Circus and Embankment, with further stations along the line, as well as the Piccadilly and Victoria lines, set to get coverage in the coming months.

Boldyn Networks, one of the world’s leading neutral host network providers, was awarded a 20-year concession by TfL in June 2021 to deliver high speed mobile connectivity across the entire London Underground network. Boldyn  is also installing a fibre backbone across the capital to improve connectivity both above and below ground.

Once fully delivered, more than 2,000 kilometres of cabling as well as thousands of radios are expected to be installed within tunnels and stations, all of which will be fitted outside of operational hours.

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