The rumor is that the UK’s mobile network operators are in the final stages of closing a 150 million GBP ($240 million) deal to deploy mobile phone coverage on the London Underground railway network. Mayor of London backed the deal between Transport for London (TfL) and the big four operators, and the official signing is expected within the next two weeks, according to Mobile Today.
An unnamed source at one of the mobile networks said: “We are very close to signing a deal to put mobile on the underground. The Mayor of London is keen for it [the network] to happen before the Olympics.”
On its end TfL’s spokeswomen commented: “TfL and the Mayor of London are currently in discussion with mobile phone operators and other suppliers about the potential provision of mobile phone services on the deep tube network. Given the financial pressures on TfL’s budgets any solution would need to be funded through mobile operators with no cost to fare or taxpayers. Discussions are ongoing.”
Apparently, the deployment will involve conventional leaky feeder cables running down into the station platforms to deliver the radio signal along with signal repeaters. Thus far, operators have agreed to roll-out the service on the Jubilee and Central lines in time for the Olympics, with other lines to follow later…
[Via: CellularNews]