In news that will come as music to the ears of London commuters, Transport for London (TfL) has revealed that 4G reception is finally coming to the London Underground network.
Speaking to the Guardian , TfL confirmed that 4G reception will come to most of the Jubilee line from March 2020, before being rolled out on other lines.
This means that commuters will finally be able to use their phones underground as they would above ground, including making calls and streaming videos.
Mark Bulle, head of infrastructure transformation at TfL said: “People could have their commute interrupted – but at the end of the day it’s up to people whether they take the call from their boss.”
However, implementing the technology is no mean feat. The upgrade will require around 1,240 miles (2,000km) of new cabling.
TfL will pay for the initial trial on the Jubilee line, but is looking to award a contact to a private operator to install the technology across the network, according to the Guardian.
Currently, most London Underground stations have WiFi, but while the tube is on the move, passengers are unable to connect.
Surprisingly, the initial response from the public has been very mixed, with some commuters expressing concerns about it.
One user tweeted: “NOOOOOOO! It’s my favourite time on the tube, when we hit a tunnel and people are quiet! Don’t spoil it! There are so few places left that you can just be left alone in peace!”
Another added: “Noooooooooo. More obnoxious passengers shouting into their phones about whether they want nuggets or kiev for dinner.”
However, others have welcomed the news with open arms, with one even calling it the ‘stuff of dreams.’
