UK mobile operators have abandoned plans to deploy a mobile network across the London Underground before the 2012 Olympics because of time constraints.
In a joint statement, mobile groups Everything Everywhere, O2, Vodafone and 3 said they were…
UK mobile operators have abandoned plans to deploy a mobile network across the London Underground before the 2012 Olympics because of time constraints.
In a joint statement, mobile groups Everything Everywhere, O2, Vodafone and 3 said they were “disappointed” after being unable to formalise an agreement before the 31 March deadline.
“As a group we will continue to positively explore all other avenues available to us in order to provide a service at a later date,” the statement added.
Speaking to TelecomFinance, a source close to the situation blamed logistical rather than funding issues for the plan’s collapse. According to the source, the operators understood the project would be a “loss-making” exercise from the outset. But they conceded the difficulty of deploying 3G across the deep network’s tunnels in the intervals between trains.
Chinese vendor Huawei was also seeking to participate in the mobile network, aiming to provide the necessary equipment for free as a flagship UK operation.
However, a spokesperson for TfL, the government body responsible for the capital’s underground network, cited funding disagreements for the failed plan.
“The Mayor and TfL made it clear that – given the financial pressures on TfL’s budgets – any solution would have to have been funded through mobile operators with no cost to fare or taxpayers,” said the spokesperson.
“The parties were not able to agree a viable proposal and the project is therefore not being progressed at this time.”
Meanwhile, the London Underground is still inviting operators to tender for its plan to deploy Wi-Fi at up to 120 stations across the network by June 2012.
