The Transport for London (TfL) in the UK has confirmed that the whole of London Underground network (tunnels and stations) will have 4G connectivity by March 2020.

In 2017 the 4G service trials were undertaken on the Waterloo and City Lines by the Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three UK. Now the TfL has announced another trial which will involve the platforms and tunnels between Westminster and Canning Town. The network will build on the existing free WiFi service operated by Virgin Media and will support 2G, 3G and 4G technology.

The trial stage will be followed by the procurement for a private supplier who will make 4G services available throughout all underground by mid-2020. TfL has been installing fibre cables across all of the tube train network in preparation for the procurement. By installing cabling within tunnels and stations in advance of awarding the concession, TfL can better manage station access, reduce the amount of disruption these works may cause to customers and allow the concessionaire to then quickly utilise infrastructure once the final contract is awarded. TfL has also begun discussions with mobile network operators to ensure they can access the infrastructure for the pilot so their customers can benefit when the technology goes live.

Once fully delivered, more than 2,000 kilometres of cabling is expected to have been installed within tunnels and stations, all of which will need to be fitted outside of operational hours.

Following the launch of the formal procurement process last summer, TfL has now shortlisted four bidders who will be invited to tender for the concession, the next stage of which will begin shortly.

The system will also host the Home Office's new Emergency Services Network which will replace the existing Airwave system currently used by the Police, Fire Services and emergency response teams across Britain. By aligning the projects, TfL has ensured that the latest requirements for the Emergency Services Network are fully incorporated, reducing the need for additional contracts or amendments in the future.