Mobile Internet access promised for Tube stations for the Olympics

A supplier for Wi-Fi across the London Underground network will be announced this spring, promises Transport for London.

 

TfL says the Wi-Fi implementation across 120 underground stations will be completed in time for the 2012 Olympics. 

 

The announcement of the chosen bidder had originally been scheduled for the end of 2011, but is now expected in early spring.

 

Gareth Powell, director of strategy and service development, said: "London Underground is continuing with preparations to install the necessary infrastructure and is on schedule to complete the project as planned."

 

According to a TfL tender document, the Wi-Fi supplier will host and operate a portal for the London Underground Wi-Fi service to provide media rich content free of charge, likely to include real-time travel information, news, sports and entertainment.

 

Other data services and links to external sites may be subject to a subscription fee, and the supplier will manage all aspects of this service, including billing users. The contract is expected to last for five years, but could be extended.