Tube travelers to get underground mobile coverage

London Underground (LU) is planning to install technology that will give commuters mobile phone coverage in underground Tube stations by 2008.

LU is to begin consultations with suppliers shortly and aims to undertake a trial of the technology at one underground station in 2006 with a view to extending it across all tube stations by 2008.

The proposals were announced by London Mayor Ken Livingston who said in a statement: "We know that many Londoners would like the convenience of being able to use their mobile phones at Tube stations throughout the Underground network. We also want to see how the technology could be taken even further, for instance wireless internet so passengers could receive up-to-the-minute travel information via their laptop or mobile phone."

LU director of strategy and service development, Richard Parry, said there is strong support among Tube customers for mobile access underground.

"The process we launch today is to start getting information from the market about how we could best provide a mobile phones service," he said in a statement.

An LU spokesman said the organisation's current plans are to offer mobile coverage only in the concourse, ticketing areas and platforms of underground Tube stations and not on moving trains through underground tunnels.

"Passengers would like to have mobile coverage at Tube stations but they are less keen to have it on trains," he said.

He would not rule out expanding mobile coverage into Tube tunnels and trains but said it would be sometime in the "foreseeable future" after 2008 before LU would consider it.

LU is open to proposals from the private sector as to how revenues could be generated and shared, the spokesman explained, but said suppliers will face "unique practical challenges" around space, power and ventilation constraints.