TfL Brings Free Tube Wi-Fi To Tottenham Court Road And 4 More London Stations

Transport for London (TfL) has switched on the public Wi-Fi network at Tottenham Court Road and will turn on connectivity at a further four tube stations next week, bringing the total number to 259.

Virgin Media started installing the wireless network back in 2012 and coverage has slowly extended across the London Underground map since.

Tottenham Court Road had been one of the most notable ‘notspots’, presumably due to the construction work for Crossrail taking place at the station. However upon visiting the station last week, Silicon noted that Wi-Fi was available for the first time.

Tube Wi-Fi expansion

TfL confirmed the network was switched on last week and we have learned four more stations – Dollis Hill, Hangar Lane, Putney Bridge and Ruislip Gardens – will be connected next week. This means just 13 stations, or three percent of the tube network, will be left without Wi-Fi.

Customers of EE, O2, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone all receive inclusive access to the tube Wi-Fi service, which also provides free travel information to all passengers.

Despite the success of Tube Wi-Fi service, there have been additional calls for mobile coverage to be added to the London Underground.

However despite claims by Virgin Media there would be no Wi-Fi or 4G on Crossrail, TfL told Silicon last year there were plans in place for in-tunnel connectivity on the new line when it launches in December 2018.

TfL has said in the past that it supports the idea of a mobile rollout “in principle” but that a funding model had never been agreed. According to Greater London Authority (GLA) documents, a “number of technologies are being investigated” for tunnel connectivity and above-ground coverage.

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