EE and Three are about to fix a hugely annoying issue for millions of customers

Commuters and tourists heading into London will soon be treated to a smartphone signal even when they a deep underground. EE and Three have just announced that they have joined forces with the BAI Communications network to fix one of the biggest gripes when travelling on the tube with the firms set to provide full connectivity across the London Underground transport system.

That means customers will be able to make calls, surf the web and stream Netflix when travelling on this service and it’s not just at stations when the signal bars will spring into life as the update also includes the sprawling miles of tunnels that run across the capital.

Parts of the Jubilee line got this vital upgrade back in 2020 with it proving hugely popular and now more areas of the service will be treated to full and fast connectivity.

Speaking about the news Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “I’m delighted to see Three and EE sign up as the first operators to provide full high-speed 4G access across the Tube network.

“This will make a huge difference to passengers, allowing them to make calls, read emails and check travel information while on the move. Investing in London’s connectivity and digital infrastructure is one important way we are helping to stimulate our city’s economy. It also represents a significant step towards ensuring the whole tube network has 5G-ready mobile coverage.”

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Along with offering speedy 4G access, it’s hoped that some users with 5G-ready phones will be able to download files and movies at speeds in excess of 300Mbps whilst whizzing to their destination.

5G is the next generation of mobile network and is capable of better speeds and more people accessing the service at the same time.

“Three is delighted to be part of bringing even more connectivity to our customers in London. They will be able to enjoy smooth streaming, phone calls underground and continued seamless coverage while they travel, even in tunnels,” said Three CEO Robert Finnegan.

And BT’s Philip Jansen added: “This is huge news for customers and for London, bringing EE’s coverage to previously unreachable parts of the city’s transport system. This deal puts BT at the heart of plans to help London digitally leapfrog its rivals and maintain its status as a world-leading destination for tourists and businesses, as well as a home to millions of citizens. Our investment in the capital is part of our mission to digitise the entire UK, as we build like fury to expand our fibre and mobile networks further and faster than anyone else.”

Work at some of London’s busiest stations, including Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Bank, Euston and Camden Town, is already underway to prepare them to be some of the first to be connected by the end of 2022. All stations and tunnels across the Tube network are due to have high-quality and uninterrupted mobile coverage by the end of 2024.