Virgin Media O2 picks BAI to enable connectivity across the Tube

Virgin Media O2 has reached an agreement with BAI Communications which will allow customers to access high-speed 4G and 5G-ready mobile connectivity across the Tube, including within the tunnels.

BAI was awarded a 20-year concession by Transport for London (TfL) in June 2021 to deliver mobile connectivity on the Underground.

Once complete, customers will be able to make calls wherever they are on the Underground, check the latest travel information, keep on top of their emails, catch up on social media and live stream videos, transforming the passenger experience and securing London’s transformation into a smart city.

Work on delivering 4G coverage across the Tube network is well underway. Positive progress now means that the next five stations to get coverage – Bank, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Euston, and Camden Town – will go live within the next six months.

Speaking as the announcement was made, Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:

“With our 5G network already reaching two-thirds of Londoners, this investment will bring next-generation mobile connectivity deep underground for the first time ever, giving our customers a seamless service while on the move. We’ve already invested hundreds of millions of pounds in the capital to expand and upgrade our fixed and mobile networks which has accelerated London’s transformation into a cutting-edge digital hub, fuelling growth and connecting communities to gigabit services.”