Enquiries of Connected London (4G/5G coverage across TfL network)
Request ID: FOI-1606-2223 Date published: 24 October 2022
You asked
Dear sir or madam, I would like to exercise FOI rights regarding the information of the Connected London project, which brings 4G/5G coverage to TfL premises. Please provide the answers for the following questions.
1) Please provide a full list of stations and tunnels which will covered by Connected London project in bringing 4G/5G mobile signals.
2) Other than London Underground, will all tunnels and stations in DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth Line would be covered by the project and having 4G and 5G signals once the project completed.
3) Please provide a full planned schedule of which stations and tunnels will commencing the 4G/5G mobile signals.
4) What kinds of radio frequencies (ie 700 mhz,, 1800 mhz, 3500 mhz, etc.) would the system support for both in stations, tunnels and TfL street assests, Are all the mobile operators could deploy their desired licensed radio frequencies under this project, or TfL or BAI would limit the number of radio frequencies for mobile operators to deploy the mobile signal?
5) As this project will also host optic fibre broadband network, are there any internet service providers signed the contract with TfL under this project? If yes, please provide all the names of those internet service providers
6) TfL mentioned this project will also enable TfL street assests to host network of mobile transmitters, is that all four current mobile operators (ie EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three) have signed the contracts of using those mobile transmitters on TfL street assets to deliver their 4G/5G signals as well?
7) Please confirm of the coverage of those mobile transmitters in TfL street assets, ie. are they available across the Greater London area of all TfL street assets?
8) Please provide a planned schedule for the mobile transmitters deployed on TfL street assets and fibre network in stations and tunnels.
9) What is the current progress of the project as of the end of September 2022?
10) As of the wifi network will be transferred to BAI in April 2023, is that all four mobile operators (ie EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three) would provide wifi in London Undergroud and Elizabeth Line stations, including Vodafone who does not provide Wifi access in London Underground currently?
11) Will TfL provides its own free public wifi access when the current wifi system transferred to BAI in April 2023, ie free public TfL Wifi currently on Elizabeth Line trains?
12) To my knowledge, the current wifi provider is Virgin Media. Will Virgin Media join the new system of BAI and continue to provide wifi access in stations after the wifi system transferred in April 2023?
I look forward to your reply!
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1606-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 4 October 2022, asking for information about high-speed 4G mobile coverage across the Tube network.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:
Please provide a full list of stations and tunnels which will covered by Connected London project in bringing 4G/5G mobile signals.
This information is already published in the contract which can be found here:
In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.
Other than London Underground, will all tunnels and stations in DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth Line would be covered by the project and having 4G and 5G signals once the project completed.
The scope is already published and available via the above link (please refer to the annexes to schedule 2.1).
Please provide a full planned schedule of which stations and tunnels will commencing the 4G/5G mobile signals.
We do not hold this information. This is not yet available as the consultation and planning are still on-going.
What kinds of radio frequencies (ie 700 mhz,, 1800 mhz, 3500 mhz, etc.) would the system support for both in stations, tunnels and TfL street assests, Are all the mobile operators could deploy their desired licensed radio frequencies under this project, or TfL or BAI would limit the number of radio frequencies for mobile operators to deploy the mobile signal?
The frequencies deployed are the result of the commercial arrangements between the four Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and BAI Communications Ltd (BAI) as well as the investment decisions of the MNOs amongst other factors. The neutral host system can support all of the current licensed spectrum except in the tunnels where there are technical limitations for the higher frequencies.
As this project will also host optic fibre broadband network, are there any internet service providers signed the contract with TfL under this project? If yes, please provide all the names of those internet service providers.
No, the contract is with BAI Communications Ltd. They will manage the use of the fibre network by other network providers.
TfL mentioned this project will also enable TfL street assests to host network of mobile transmitters, is that all four current mobile operators (ie EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three) have signed the contracts of using those mobile transmitters on TfL street assets to deliver their 4G/5G signals as well?
TfL has signed a contract with BAI to deliver these services to the MNOs. We are not party to the MNO contracts and therefore do not hold this information.
Please confirm of the coverage of those mobile transmitters in TfL street assets, ie. are they available across the Greater London area of all TfL street assets?
TfL has signed a contract with BAI to deliver these services to the MNOs. We are not party to the MNO contracts and therefore do not hold the information.
Please provide a planned schedule for the mobile transmitters deployed on TfL street assets and fibre network in stations and tunnels.
This schedule is a commercial matter between BAI and the MNOs, we are not party to these contracts and therefore do not hold the information. The contract obliges BAI Communications to complete the rollout by the end of December 2024.
What is the current progress of the project as of the end of September 2022?
The project is on track to deliver the complete network by December 2024, as per the contracted schedule.
As of the wifi network will be transferred to BAI in April 2023, is that all four mobile operators (ie EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three) would provide wifi in London Undergroud and Elizabeth Line stations, including Vodafone who does not provide Wifi access in London Underground currently?
Yes.
Will TfL provides its own free public wifi access when the current wifi system transferred to BAI in April 2023, ie free public TfL Wifi currently on Elizabeth Line trains?
It is not feasible to fit Wi-Fi to Tube trains but there will be a free service introduced into the station environment as part of the transfer to BAI. This is likely to follow the initial transition of the current service.
To my knowledge, the current wifi provider is Virgin Media. Will Virgin Media join the new system of BAI and continue to provide wifi access in stations after the wifi system transferred in April 2023?
Virgin Media merged with O2 in June 2021 and doesn’t exist as a separate company. If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
