Although the dream of Wi-Fi enabled trains is still a distant day-dream 137 ticket halls, walkways and platforms running through London’s underground matrix already provide commuters with Wi-Fi.
Olympic legacy
Initially, Virgin Media set-up and installed the Wi-Fi network before the vast swathes of visitors during the London 2012 Olympics descended and it proved exceptionally popular.
Many operators now provide Wi-Fi from Virgin’s network. O2, Vodafone and EE all use the service meaning that the ability for their customers and passengers to access mobile services underground is very much alive and well, and growing.
Left out in the dark
However Three customers have been left without the luxury of Wi-Fi access. Until now that is. Only yesterday, Three announced that it has now joined the ranks of the other underground Wi-Fi service providers giving their customers the ability to browse online if there is a train delay or over-crowding during peak hours. Three’s service will be rolling out late July meaning that by then all UK operators will be operating underground on Virgins network.
All aboard
Director of Three’s customer strategy Danny Dixon has said that “Three customers are now a step closer to being connected no matter where they are”. The ability for customers to enjoy calls, send texts, surf the web and play Fortune Frenzy underground is now a reality.
Virgin have also announced recently that they will be adding seven new stations to their underground Wi-Fi network. These stations are Hammersmith, Edware, Ealing Broadway, Bow Road Harrow-on-the-hill, Shepherd’s Bush and West Brompton. Virgin media’s director of broadband Joe Lathan said that “With every network operator now on board with Virgin Media on London Underground. It is great to know we are keeping people on the Tube connected at no extra cost”.
Smoother Journey
With this news London Underground director of strategy and service development Gareth Powell stated that “Wi-Fi on the underground is one of the many ways to help improve customer’s journeys since its inception in 2012. Now, with another mobile operator coming on board this means that more customers can benefit from the services Wi-Fi provides”.
For Three customers this will come as a relief, as they previously has to pay £2 per day for access.
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