LU/Elizabeth Line 4G update

[mrmartin]

London Underground’s mobile coverage adds more of the Northern and Central lines

The expansion of mobile coverage on the London Underground continues, and they've just added more parts of the Northern and Central lines.

www.ianvisits.co.uk

Big update... but not much more switched on.

TCR to Belsize park on the northern line, and TCR and Holborn.

Elizabeth line on track for spring, but no mention of stations being switched on before the end of the year (which I think the last update promised).

also south of the northern line by summer 2024.

Still incredibly slow imo.

 

[Gigabit]

London Underground’s mobile coverage adds more of the Northern and Central lines

The expansion of mobile coverage on the London Underground continues, and they've just added more parts of the Northern and Central lines.

www.ianvisits.co.uk

Big update... but not much more switched on.

TCR to Belsize park on the northern line, and TCR and Holborn.

Elizabeth line on track for spring, but no mention of stations being switched on before the end of the year (which I think the last update promised).

also south of the northern line by summer 2024.

Still incredibly slow imo.

I already reported this

 

[JonnyM]

Anyone know any updates? Only a few weeks left really in 2023... less if you think they wouldn't go live over xmas period (not sure if that's true or not for the railway, but most IT projects I've been involved in would do anything to avoid going live over that time period).

As a reminder, below is the quoted text of the TfL press released from early September. "The end of the year" meaning 2023. Let's see what is actually delivered. Based on last years promises, I can't see it being much but I would love to be proved wrong.

"By the end of the year, 33 stations with platforms that are underground, and therefore usually unable to get a mobile signal, as well as connecting tunnels, will have mobile coverage, increasing to more than 40 stations by Spring 24."

"The Mayor also confirmed today that the first stations on the Elizabeth line to benefit from high-speed mobile coverage will be Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street. These stations will be live by the end of the year, with all stations and tunnelled sections getting 4G coverage by the end of Spring 2024."

London Underground’s mobile coverage adds more of the Northern and Central lines

The expansion of mobile coverage on the London Underground continues, and they've just added more parts of the Northern and Central lines.

www.ianvisits.co.uk

Big update... but not much more switched on.

TCR to Belsize park on the northern line, and TCR and Holborn.

Elizabeth line on track for spring, but no mention of stations being switched on before the end of the year (which I think the last update promised).

also south of the northern line by summer 2024.

Still incredibly slow imo.

It's odd, on Vodafone there is no reception at all north of TCR (either 4G or 5G), even though on TfL's own webpages it states there is coverage. There is a very strong 4G signal between Oxford Circus and Bond Street on the Central line though. It's all rather confusing.

 

[miklcct]

Bond Street 4G has gone live as of today.

 

[MrJeeves]

It's odd, on Vodafone there is no reception at all north of TCR (either 4G or 5G), even though on TfL's own webpages it states there is coverage.

It's important to remember that every network's rollout is slightly different and goes live at a different time.

 

[JonnyM]

It's important to remember that every network's rollout is slightly different and goes live at a different time.

Yeah, it's just that Voda have been quite fast to roll new sections out. Nevermind....

 

[James H]

From the new TfL business plan: "In the coming months, Boldyn Networks will bring connectivity to more stations on the Piccadilly and Victoria lines including Covent Garden, Warren Street, Russell Square and Holborn. The first four Elizabeth line stations will have mobile coverage by the end of 2023 and coverage across our whole network, including the Elizabeth line and DLR, will be delivered across the next two years."

 

[MasterSpenny]

From at least west of Bank (on the Central Line), there is now 5G signal.

Central line | The Bus Forum

Not sure if there is a thread for this as I couldn't find one. Anyway I rode it today and was surprised to see that trains are still not stopping at East Acton eastbound, despite the initial en

tangytango.proboards.com

5G single is now live on the Central Line! Well at least from Bank heading west!

 

[Gigabit]

Central Line is almost continuously connected then between NHG and Bank.

 

[Zeremony]

Just noticed that 5G is live at Farringdon and Liverpool Street Elizabeth line. Not sure about any other stations. (I'm on Three mobile)

 

[MrJeeves]

Just noticed that 5G is live at Farringdon and Liverpool Street Elizabeth line. Not sure about any other stations. (I'm on Three mobile)

Also at Tottenham Court Road, or was yesterday.

 

[Zeremony]

Not at Whitechapel Elizabeth line yet.
Works on the escalators and corridors at Farringdon and Liverpool Street.

 

[Gigabit]

Not in the Tunnels yet?

 

[MrJeeves]

Not in the Tunnels yet?

Nope

 

[Gigabit]

Are they going to add 4G to the corridors etc at Liverpool Street for the Central Line?

 

[MrJeeves]

Are they going to add 4G to the corridors etc at Liverpool Street for the Central Line?

Eventually, yes, full station coverage is part of the plans.

I think most stations and corridors have ceiling-mounted antennas now, which look a bit like — quite frankly — nipples.

 

[Gigabit]

Eventually, yes, full station coverage is part of the plans.

I think most stations and corridors have ceiling-mounted antennas now, which look a bit like — quite frankly — nipples.

Not sure what the delay is on turning on coverage at NHG on the passages from Central to District Line.

And are they going to install any of these nipples in stations where there's no indoor coverage but it works okay on the platforms? My fear is not.

 

[MrJeeves]

And are they going to install any of these nipples in stations where there's no indoor coverage but it works okay on the platforms? My fear is not.

I doubt it.

 

[Gigabit]

I doubt it.

Then they've not been truthful when they said they would cover "every station and platform". But I am not surprised.

 

[Mojo]

Central Line is almost continuously connected then between NHG and Bank.

I can confirm that this does not appear to be the case. The western section is Holland Park to Queensway but on departing Queensway the signal dropped off and did not reappear until departing Bond St, like usual.

 

[Gigabit]

I can confirm that this does not appear to be the case. The western section is Holland Park to Queensway but on departing Queensway the signal dropped off and did not reappear until departing Bond St, like usual.

Ah, not as good as I thought then.

 

[Zeremony]

---

Extracts from IanVisits and the TfL Press release

---

Customers on the Elizabeth line received an early Christmas present this morning as four central London stations received mobile coverage for the first time.

Passengers now have connectivity throughout ticket halls, connecting corridors and platforms at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street stations. This enhanced service complements the existing WiFi coverage in the stations, but it does tend to connect faster than WiFi, which is an added benefit for people checking messages as they pass through stations.

 

[jon0844]

FARRINGDON STATION (Elizabeth Line Platforms)
Network	Download (Max)	Download (Avg)	Upload (Max)	Upload (Avg)	Ping (Min)	Ping (Avg)
O2	27.79 Mbps	20.83 Mbps	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out
O2 (Attempt 2)	31.00 Mbps	15.62 Mbps	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out
Three	35.05 Mbps	19.11 Mbps	3.92 Mbps	2.17 Mbps	298 ms	1269 ms
EE	75.21 Mbps	53.90 Mbps	3.46 Mbps	2.44 Mbps	24 ms	441 ms
Vodafone	79.58 Mbps	42.67 Mbps	2.24 Mbps	0.93 Mbps	609 ms	1401 ms
TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD STATION (Elizabeth Line Platforms)
O2	3.75 Mbps	2.26 Mbps	9.06 Mbps	3.24 Mbps	93 ms	126 ms
Three	86.28 Mbps	68.44 Mbps	8.47 Mbps	4.93 Mbps	536 ms	659 ms
EE	136.8 Mbps	92.46 Mbps	8.93 Mbps	5.24 Mbps	263 ms	737 ms
Vodafone	162.1 Mbps	87.6 Mbps	19.76 Mbps	13.73 Mbps	23 ms	173 ms

 

[jumble]

FARRINGDON STATION (Elizabeth Line Platforms)
Network	Download (Max)	Download (Avg)	Upload (Max)	Upload (Avg)	Ping (Min)	Ping (Avg)
O2	27.79 Mbps	20.83 Mbps	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out
O2 (Attempt 2)	31.00 Mbps	15.62 Mbps	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out	Timed Out
Three	35.05 Mbps	19.11 Mbps	3.92 Mbps	2.17 Mbps	298 ms	1269 ms
EE	75.21 Mbps	53.90 Mbps	3.46 Mbps	2.44 Mbps	24 ms	441 ms
Vodafone	79.58 Mbps	42.67 Mbps	2.24 Mbps	0.93 Mbps	609 ms	1401 ms
TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD STATION (Elizabeth Line Platforms)
O2	3.75 Mbps	2.26 Mbps	9.06 Mbps	3.24 Mbps	93 ms	126 ms
Three	86.28 Mbps	68.44 Mbps	8.47 Mbps	4.93 Mbps	536 ms	659 ms
EE	136.8 Mbps	92.46 Mbps	8.93 Mbps	5.24 Mbps	263 ms	737 ms
Vodafone	162.1 Mbps	87.6 Mbps	19.76 Mbps	13.73 Mbps	23 ms	173 ms

Bond Street on EE was around 75 Down and 5 Up today

 

[jon0844]

Sounds about right. Very slow uplink. Wonder if it is being throttled intentionally?

 

[Gigabit]

O2 looking very good indeed.

 

[MrJeeves]

O2 looking very good indeed.

As speedy as ever

Personally, I think these tests should be taken with a grain of salt. I'll likely head up to test myself in a couple of days with all the networks and Network Signal Guru to see what's really on offer from a technology point of view.

 

[Gigabit]

As speedy as ever

Personally, I think these tests should be taken with a grain of salt. I'll likely head up to test myself in a couple of days with all the networks and Network Signal Guru to see what's really on offer from a technology point of view.

Personally I am very happy with the speeds on O2 but then I don't need 500Mbps on my phone, I just like having a phone that works where I need it and O2 is the best for that where I live and work. But each to their own.

 

[MrJeeves]

If it works for you, it works for you. O2 is the fastest in my area with about 300 Mbps on 4G, with EE's 5G at about 200 Mbps, but I still prefer to use EE as my main as it's usually more reliable in big cities I find.

 

[Gigabit]

If it works for you, it works for you. O2 is the fastest in my area with about 300 Mbps on 4G, with EE's 5G at about 200 Mbps, but I still prefer to use EE as my main as it's usually more reliable in big cities I find.

I'd be happy with 10Mbps wherever I go to be honest, there's nothing I can do with 300Mbps that I can't do with 10. At home is a different story but when out and about the massive numbers have never really meant much to me.

Personally I have found EE faster but much worse indoors so I can't rely on them.