London Underground rolling out WiFi to 120 stations

There are both pros and cons when it comes to public WiFi. For most, it’s an added convenience to have wireless Internet access when you’re on the go, whether you’re at a mall, in a restaurant, in the London Underground, or in some other establishment. There are just some instances where you find yourself needed something from the Internet when you’re out of your home, and during these times, public WiFi is your best bet.

However, there are also some consumers who actually get dissuaded from accessing public WiFi due to complicated log-on processes–but that’s a completely different story.

Many companies have realised the importance of offering free WiFi to their customers, so much so that it has eventually become an added amenity for stores, dining places, and hotels. Some firms also choose to use it as a means of advertising to promote their products and services. One is Nintendo, which has announced that they are offering free WiFi access at airports when passengers are using their Nintendo 3DS units.

People who take the tube regularly in their daily commute will also be happy to hear that the London Undergound will be rolling out WiFi to 120 of their stations.

This comes, after London Underground found their previous trials successful. Commuters have been able to access WiFi in the tube since November as part of a six-month trial. So far, results from surveys that London Underground has conducted has shown that the more than half of the passengers found the service advantageous and something that could improve their experience of the Tube.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: “The roll out of Wi-Fi technology across the platforms and public areas of our Tube stations will finally allow Londoners to use mobile devices to pick up their emails, access social media sites and stay in touch with the world above while they traverse our subterranean transport network. We are inviting companies to bid to do this before next June.”

London Underground is looking to extend the service to 120 of its Tube stations all across the UK. In line with this, they have called for telecoms to send in their bids for the project. The contract is expected to be awarded by the end of this year or by early 2012.

Source – Computer World