London Underground to get Widespread WiFi by 2012

Almost half of the 270 stations of the London Underground are currently in the process of being installed with wireless broadband (WiFi) access ahead of the London Olympic Games of 2012.

The commuters of the London Underground had their first taste of subterranean broadband access in 2010 October, when a six month long test financed by BT, the telecommunications giant of the United Kingdom had brought WiFi hotspots to the platforms of Northern and Bakerloo lines. Besides, the central London station's ticket hall was also fitted with WiFi then.

The test has been considered successful and currently telecommunication companies are being invited by the London Underground to bid for a contract, which would bring wireless broadband (WiFi) to 120 stations of London by 2012 June. By the end of 2011, the winner of the deal will be announced.

The consumers of the service will only be allowed to connect to WiFi on the platforms, and seldom on the trains themselves. Access, for the past six months , has just been free for the subscribers of the cheap broadband plus unlimited fon WiFi minutes service of BT, and for the customers of BT Openzone.

Besides, the subscribers of similar packages of other broadband providers such as Orange, Vodafone, O2 and Tesco Mobile are also allowed ato access the service, but through bundled mobile packages.