O2 is about to switch on coverge for the first underground mobile network in the UK, in the city of…….. Glasgow! Yes, you might have thought that was going to be the London Underground, but alas no (or yes, depending on your viewpoint).
The service will start in December, and utilise a “multi-user distribution antenna system“, in five of the busiest stations – the plan being to extend the coverage onward in to the tunnels too. The whole “services” theme is in play too, with 2G/3G voice, calls, text, and data, all possible.
The tech behind this isn’t new, but there is significant cost attached – like with all infrastructure rollouts. London Underground did announce a trial last year for stations platforms and some of the tunnels, but I can’t say I noticed that ever working!
Of course, all the associated blue-sky thinking around the possibilities enabled by coverage underground doesn’t take in to account the fact that perhaps a good percentage of people won’t be in favour of this being enabled. Currently subways, and (during) flights are the only major “places” where you don’t automatically expect coverage – and even the latter of these has been under review for some time.
So what do we think? Mobile on the subways a good thing? It it does happen, I can predict some people answering the phone, and exclaiming in extremely loud voices, something along the lines of: “What…..what…..yes…….what…..I’M ON THE TUBE!” – which will be nice for the rest of us …..
[Via: Times Online]