5 years ago: Tube sings praises of new comms system

13.12.99: The London Underground (LU) says it's installing a new radio and digital transmission system to take the train network into the next century.

The new communications system, called Connect, will link all stations, depots and offices for the Tube. It marks the first time the Underground will have a single radio system for all operations and engineering.

Among the benefits will be improved safety and the ability to recover quickly from delays.

Chris Best, project manager at LU, said Connect will also allow the organisation to generate new revenue streams from selling off spare capacity and from a new form of advertising called Projection, which will see the projection of images onto the walls of the station tunnels.

The 20-year service contract, worth £1.2bn, was awarded to the CityLink Telecommunications consortium.

13.12.05: If Connect helps the underground recover from mishaps can you imagine how long the recent two-days-plus disruption on the Northern Line would have lasted without it?

The search for replacement parts to fix the trains sent engineers scurrying to eBay.

Just as the Northern Line returned to good service, Marconi said it was close to a deal with the Tube to upgrade the communications system - again.

Seems the recent problems were caused in part by previous providers of kit no longer being involved in the Underground's maintenance.