LU/Elizabeth Line 4G update

[Gigabit]

I am not sure they'd want to pay for anything more than they have to. If it's above ground and outdoors, they'd be happy to rely on whatever coverage there is. Of course that leads to the obvious problem of coverage blackspots, especially with some of the old station construction materials and corridors/tunnels etc.

The best they could/should do is allow access to their property to add small cells or whatever, but that would likely be separate to the company rolling out dedicated equipment within stations. I see how that might seem confusing, but the two things are separate - even if a phone user, hopefully, swaps from one to another without issue.

I don't see why it should be separate. Just use the same equipment they're using in Underground stations, above ground.

 

[DC1989]

Whitechapel, Canary Wharf and Woolwich seemed to go live today

 

[MrJeeves]

They have at least on Vodafone, but when I last heard they weren't live on EE this morning.

 

[Recessio]

The best they could/should do is allow access to their property to add small cells or whatever, but that would likely be separate to the company rolling out dedicated equipment within stations. I see how that might seem confusing, but the two things are separate - even if a phone user, hopefully, swaps from one to another without issue.

There's past preference for this - didn't Rabbit telepoint have cells in a few LU stations?

 

[MrJeeves]

There's past preference for this - didn't Rabbit telepoint have cells in a few LU stations?

Yep, and some NR stations too.

 

[pbin]

Used the Victoria Line again between Euston and Oxford Circus again. My EE sim had no signal but on my O2 sim I did have signal. Previously I had signal on EE.

 

[JonnyM]

Used the Victoria Line again between Euston and Oxford Circus again. My EE sim had no signal but on my O2 sim I did have signal. Previously I had signal on EE.

Maybe testing? Hopefully going live soon. There feels like such a lot of time needs to be made up in the rollout.

 

[MrJeeves]

Used the Victoria Line again between Euston and Oxford Circus again. My EE sim had no signal but on my O2 sim I did have signal. Previously I had signal on EE.

Yeah, same today. O2 is the only one live. Only in the tunnels — station equipment is still off.

 

[mrmartin]

Well the purdah period should be over now, do you think we'll get any updates this week on the state of play?

 

[Samzino]

Looks like 4G is live in some parts at least, Abbeywood to Woolwich so far. Used it to type and post this onboard 9N50.

 

[The_Van]

TFL wifi working today on my journey from Liverpool St to Tottenham Court Road

 

[bicbasher]

I'll give 4G and the WiFi a go on Friday when I commute from Whitechapel to Tottenham Court Road.

I hope in the future that the cut and cover section of what is going to be the Overground's Windrush line from Whitechapel to Surrey Quays is covered with 4G in the future.

 

[Via Bank]

4G still only in the stations on O2 as of today, with some questionable connectivity. Didn't try the wifi.

 

[bicbasher]

4G still only in the stations on O2 as of today, with some questionable connectivity. Didn't try the wifi.

Can't say I'm surprised considering how slow O2 has been in the stations.

I'm on EE using the 1pMobile MVNO, so will keep my fingers crossed EE has been activated in the tunnels.

 

[mrmartin]

Yeah my experience on EL with o2 has been dire. You actually can't tell when you're in the tunnels and when you're at stations currently because there is too much congestion/misconfiguration and basically no data flow at a lot of them! Actually was getting LTE2300 (only 20MHz though) instead of the previous LTE2100 but no improvement...

 

[JonnyM]

Yeah my experience on EL with o2 has been dire. You actually can't tell when you're in the tunnels and when you're at stations currently because there is too much congestion/misconfiguration and basically no data flow at a lot of them! Actually was getting LTE2300 (only 20MHz though) instead of the previous LTE2100 but no improvement...

One wonders if o2 are so far behind they are rushing to meet a deadline?

 

[Mojo]

Yeah, same today. O2 is the only one live. Only in the tunnels — station equipment is still off.

Haven’t travelled north of Kings + but I’ve still got signal only on O2. On the northbound it comes on for me just as approaching Euston station. Still available on the platform at Kings + (at least at the tailwall) but as soon as you turn onto the lower concourse it stops working.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Haven’t travelled north of Kings + but I’ve still got signal only on O2. On the northbound it comes on for me just as approaching Euston station. Still available on the platform at Kings + (at least at the tailwall) but as soon as you turn onto the lower concourse it stops working.

Drops halfway down the platform, and nothing north thereof sadly.

 

[JonnyM]

Well the purdah period should be over now, do you think we'll get any updates this week on the state of play?

IanVisits has been updated with the article below. It looks like most of the roll out which was promised by the end of Spring has now been bumped to Summer.

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/article...live-on-elizabeth-line-and-underground-72308/

IanVisits has been updated with the article below. It looks like most of the roll out which was promised by the end of Spring has now been bumped to Summer.

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/article...live-on-elizabeth-line-and-underground-72308/

And on BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9xxlky2pno

 

[MrJeeves]

I've updated my interactive map to match TfL's new claims for upcoming coverage.

 

[DC1989]

TFL's PR department are good - they continually move the dates back and manage to get the media to write puff pieces about it as if they've done well, despite missing their own deadlines. Was going to be all stations at the end of 2023 originally wasn't it?

 

[ThameslinkUser]

Was going to be all stations at the end of 2023 originally wasn't it?

No. By end of 2024 was the original claim.

London Underground to get full mobile phone coverage by 2024

The 4G and 5G network on the London Underground will be the most advanced in the world, TfL says.

www.bbc.co.uk

London Underground to get full mobile phone coverage by 2024​

Mayor fulfils commitment and confirms high-speed mobile coverage across Tube network

Mayor fulfils manifesto commitment and confirms high-speed mobile coverage across whole Tube network as concession partner announced

tfl.gov.uk

Uninterrupted 4G mobile coverage has already been introduced on the eastern half of the Jubilee line and will be expanded in phases to ticket halls, platforms and tunnels on the Tube network over the next three years, with all stations and tunnels due to have mobile coverage by the end of 2024.

 

[MrJeeves]

No. By end of 2024 was the original claim.

But the individual claims have all slipped, and I think it's inevitable that the whole network coverage to also slip by the end of the year.

I was told by the head of EL on board the first train that mobile coverage would be available by the end of 2022!

 

[Mojo]

TFL's PR department are good - they continually move the dates back and manage to get the media to write puff pieces about it as if they've done well, despite missing their own deadlines.

I was thinking that. No mention about how the deadlines and coverage keeps changing. The map is also wrong; Warren St to Kings + on the Victoria line is still only available on o2.

 

[Gigabit]

It's baffling to me that they're going to cover Earl's Court on the District Line which already has macro coverage but they're not going to do anything between Fulham Broadway and Wimbledon (except one tunnel) which has poor coverage in all of the stations.

We're at this weird point where they managed to install Wi-Fi in these stations over a decade ago but they for whatever reason are not prepared to install even a few small cells in the stations.

 

[thomalex]

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/below-ground-4g-5g-tube-map-may-2024.pdf

I seems we've had an update to the map, the Picc between Hyde Park Corner and Russell Square are now highlighted for example

 

[Thirteen]

It's baffling to me that they're going to cover Earl's Court on the District Line which already has macro coverage but they're not going to do anything between Fulham Broadway and Wimbledon (except one tunnel) which has poor coverage in all of the stations.

We're at this weird point where they managed to install Wi-Fi in these stations over a decade ago but they for whatever reason are not prepared to install even a few small cells in the stations.

Isn't the majority of Wimbledon to Fulham outside though? I imagine it's not worth the effort installing 4G and 5G in those places except maybe Fulham Broadway although I get signal there no problem.

 

[Gigabit]

Isn't the majority of Wimbledon to Fulham outside though? I imagine it's not worth the effort installing 4G and 5G in those places except maybe Fulham Broadway although I get signal there no problem.

They are installing it in Fulham Broadway!

The platforms are outside, the walkways etc are not and don't have good/any coverage. So all TfL would need to do is install the cells in those areas like they've done in some of the below ground stations. They did this for Wi-Fi years ago.

I can understand not having the infrastructure outside as MNOs could just cover it themselves (although I still think TfL could have helped with that too) but for indoor areas with poor service, I am quite frustrated how TfL can have promised "every station" to be covered when that quite evidently will not be the case.

 

[JonnyM]

We're at this weird point where they managed to install Wi-Fi in these stations over a decade ago but they for whatever reason are not prepared to install even a few small cells in the stations.

Thinking about Wifi, as the infrastructure for these is now well over 10 years old, wouldn't they need to be replaced with more modern wifi points? I've noticed some of the wifi points need a very good clean.

 

[jon0844]

I'd be adding mobile coverage to places without Wi-Fi first. Yes the access points may need upgrading, but they generally work fine and you can make and receive calls if the network supports VoWiFi.