Vodafone customers returning to the office in the coming weeks and months will no longer be able to access the London Underground Wi-Fi network while traveling. The carrier quietly removed support for the service during the lockdown, meaning many users would not have been aware of the changes until they recently tried to log in. The problem arose after a subscriber frustrated with not being able to connect to the network asked the company for help on Twitter, assuming there was a technical problem.
Vodafone Wi-Fi Tube
The response given was: “We have made the decision not to continue our WiFi service on the London Underground. We continue to provide 4G on the Jubilee Line between North Greenwich and Westminster as part of our partnership with the London Underground.” Meanwhile, a statement on Vodafone's website read: “We will no longer continue our WiFi services on the London Underground. "We will continue to provide 4G on the Jubilee Line between North Greenwich and Westminster and will continue to invest in our surface network in London. "This includes improved coverage at key stations such as Charing Cross, London Bridge and Waterloo in particular." It is not clear why Vodafone did not renew its deal with Virgin Media O2, which operates the Wi-Fi network, but given its importance in London and the corporate market, it is surprising. Access to Tube Wi-Fi has become a standard feature of a mobile plan with one of the Big Four over the past decade and this move has not gone down well with Vodafone customers who live or work in the capital, in particular given the lack of proactivity. . the communication. Some hinted that they would not have renewed their contract with the operator if they had known, while others questioned whether they had grounds for termination. Basically, unless Vodafone customers are traveling on the eastern section of the Jubilee line, they will need to pay for a pass to access the service, which was launched in 2012. The network, operated by Virgin Media O2, offers coverage in stations but not in tunnels. . All previous attempts to bring mobile coverage to London's underground rail network have failed, and although current Mayor Sadiq Khan has pledged his support for such a project, it will take several years to materialize, although a blueprint may be agreed. Former Mayor Boris Johnson once said mobile coverage would arrive in 2012 and his predecessor Ken Livingstone asked the industry for locations in 2005. A more recent aim for Transport for London (TfL) was to have full coverage by 2019. TechRadar Pro will has contacted Vodafone for more information.