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Virgin Media wins tube Wi-Fi contract Virgin Media wins tube Wi-Fi contract
(7 months later)
Virgin Media has been awarded the contract to provide Wi-Fi access on London Underground platforms, with mobile internet services set to be available in time for the London Olympics.Virgin Media has been awarded the contract to provide Wi-Fi access on London Underground platforms, with mobile internet services set to be available in time for the London Olympics.
The service will initially be rolled out to 80 stations by July, and 120 by the end of the year, following a competitive tender run by Transport for London.The service will initially be rolled out to 80 stations by July, and 120 by the end of the year, following a competitive tender run by Transport for London.
The Wi-Fi connections will only work at station platforms, though – not while trains are travelling through the tunnels.The Wi-Fi connections will only work at station platforms, though – not while trains are travelling through the tunnels.
"Millions of passengers will now be able to connect to their work, friends or access the latest news and travel information whilst on the move," said London mayor Boris Johnson."Millions of passengers will now be able to connect to their work, friends or access the latest news and travel information whilst on the move," said London mayor Boris Johnson.
"This is a fabulous new and free resource which will be in place from this summer when London is being showcased on a global stage and playing host to millions.""This is a fabulous new and free resource which will be in place from this summer when London is being showcased on a global stage and playing host to millions."
The service, which will give access to mobile internet via a TfL portal offering travel, news and entertainment bulletins, will remain free for Virgin Media customers after the Olympic Games.The service, which will give access to mobile internet via a TfL portal offering travel, news and entertainment bulletins, will remain free for Virgin Media customers after the Olympic Games.
Other users will only be able to access a limited amount of free content on the TfL portal, with full mobile internet services offered on a pay-as-you-go basis.Other users will only be able to access a limited amount of free content on the TfL portal, with full mobile internet services offered on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Virgin Media is building the Wi-Fi network from a total capital expenditure budget of about £640m for 2012, set at between 15% and 17% of the cable company's £4bn in revenues.Virgin Media is building the Wi-Fi network from a total capital expenditure budget of about £640m for 2012, set at between 15% and 17% of the cable company's £4bn in revenues.
"With the eyes of the world on London this summer, we'll be showing off our capital as a leading connected city on the global stage," said Neil Berkett, chief executive of Virgin Media."With the eyes of the world on London this summer, we'll be showing off our capital as a leading connected city on the global stage," said Neil Berkett, chief executive of Virgin Media.
Comments
19 comments, displaying first
14 March 2012 6:22PM
Great! I can use Skype to bellow: I'M IN THE TUBE!!!
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14 March 2012 8:23PM
The best thing about the tube was always that this crap didn't work there! No inane phone conversations to overhear. No sitting next to some poseur on their overpriced iWank device.
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14 March 2012 8:33PM
The Wi-Fi connections will only work at station platforms, though – not while trains are travelling through the tunnels.
*************
Free for the Olympics, no doubt prohibitively expensive from the day after the closing ceremony.
Why can't we get free wifi at London stations/airports etc., like in other G20 (and not G20....) nations I could mention? Cap the data if need be. Even Bangkok manages a free city-wide 56k service.
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14 March 2012 11:20PM
put it this way if i were a bad guy and wanted to plant a c4 i.e. tube platforms or somewhere around escalators etc.. i could probably buy a device and modify it - wireless - can pick up a signal that when you press enter or on mobile phone press any keys and its kabooooom, in it ? most of wireless in london is unsecured even of its on password protected ^_^
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15 March 2012 1:11AM
Wouldn't work. Virgin would block the 'exploding bomb protocol' port on the router.
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15 March 2012 6:24AM
Isn't the point of the Tube that you're only ever in the station a couple of minutes? By the time you connect it'll be time to go again. Seems a bit pointless.
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15 March 2012 9:34AM
You've not been on the Underground recently then. Delays, cancellations, exrtended waits between trains because of "new better timetable". So you'll be at a station for longer than a couple of minutes.
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15 March 2012 9:37AM
Is this just a precursor to them enabling you to make phone calls on platforms/the tube? I hope not. But for the reason @ts808 states above, I can't see the point otherwise. I also can't believe that people are that desperate to check their emails while they're underground.
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15 March 2012 10:53AM
At which point everyone tries to connect at once and the connection speed slows to a snail's pace!
Link to this comment:
15 March 2012 11:26AM
"Millions of passengers will now be able to connect to their work, friends or access the latest news and travel information whilst on the move," said London mayor Boris Johnson... however... "The Wi-Fi connections will only work at station platforms, though – not while trains are travelling through the tunnels.",
hmmm.
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15 March 2012 12:42PM
Jack Bauer might disagree!
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15 March 2012 12:46PM
Well, it means if you're traveling, you'll still be able to watch the olympics here.
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15 March 2012 1:23PM
glasgow introduced cellular reception on the undergorund there.
what a joke! if youve ever been there, if you go all the way round on the train, youll note that it takes about 10 minutes.
thank god SPT didnt plough any public money into it....
oh.
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15 March 2012 1:32PM
put it this way if i were a bad guy and wanted to plant a c4 i.e. tube platforms or somewhere around escalators etc.. i could probably buy a device and modify it - wireless - can pick up a signal that when you press enter or on mobile phone press any keys and its kabooooom, in it ? most of wireless in london is unsecured even of its on password protected ^_^
I'd imagine your tin foil hat would mess with the signal ;-)
Link to this comment:
15 March 2012 3:00PM
Why would people want a phone they can carry around with them? I can't see the point. What's so important it can't wait till you get home or to the office? Hmph.
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15 March 2012 4:03PM
Not everyone. Some of us have dual 3G+WiFi smart devices so while you might be fighting over the WiFi signal I'll get out on my devices and be able to use them on the trains once they are out of the tunnels.
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16 March 2012 12:14AM
Thank the maker - those 3 minutes waiting for the tube are a NIGHTMARE without facefook. Geez, how did we used to live?
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16 March 2012 1:10AM
What a load of bloody luddite misery guts. Tube journeys are boring. The 60 seconds spent stopped at a station are enough to download your inbox, open a Reddit thread, sync your Kindle, or download a newspaper. But I suppose we should feel guilty for not striking up a conversation with our fellow man, reading Chaucer or taking the time to contemplate our fleeting existence. Because I'm sure that's exactly what the naysayers are doing, right?
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17 March 2012 4:02AM
It is clear that this service will require users to identify
themselves, thus taking another step towards total surveillance. Even
if it gratis, it exacts a price in freedom. I will never use it, and
I hope you will have the sense to refuse as well.
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Comments on this page are now closed.
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London Underground Wi-Fi service, to be free for the Olympics, will be rolled out to 80 stations
Virgin Media has been awarded the contract to provide Wi-Fi access on London Underground platforms, with mobile internet services set to be available in time for the London Olympics.
The service will initially be rolled out to 80 stations by July, and 120 by the end of the year, following a competitive tender run by Transport for London.
The Wi-Fi connections will only work at station platforms, though – not while trains are travelling through the tunnels.
"Millions of passengers will now be able to connect to their work, friends or access the latest news and travel information whilst on the move," said London mayor Boris Johnson.
"This is a fabulous new and free resource which will be in place from this summer when London is being showcased on a global stage and playing host to millions."
The service, which will give access to mobile internet via a TfL portal offering travel, news and entertainment bulletins, will remain free for Virgin Media customers after the Olympic Games.
Other users will only be able to access a limited amount of free content on the TfL portal, with full mobile internet services offered on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Virgin Media is building the Wi-Fi network from a total capital expenditure budget of about £640m for 2012, set at between 15% and 17% of the cable company's £4bn in revenues.
"With the eyes of the world on London this summer, we'll be showing off our capital as a leading connected city on the global stage," said Neil Berkett, chief executive of Virgin Media.