London Will Be Connected...By 2012

“Every lamp post [and] every bus stop will one day very soon, and before the 2012 Olympics, be Wi-Fi enabled”. 

A promise made by London's mayor, Boris Johnson, back in 2010 and plans have now been initiated. It has been reported that almost half of London's underground platforms will be wired with Wi-Fi access to be ready for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Tests were carried out in October last year, giving access to tube commuters' in selected underground lines and central London stations. Lasting six months, the test was funded by BT (British Telecom) broadband service, which reported the trial to be successful. However, WI-Fi access will be limited to the London underground's platforms; commuters won't have access on the tubes. 

Although BT carried out a trial run, it hasn't been given the full contract by Transport For London (TFL), London Underground's managing company. An invitation to all Telecom companies has circulated, inviting interested parties to bid for a contract to outfit Wi-Fi access to 120 of London's stations by June next year. 

Johnson's plan was part of a broader strategy to position London as a world leader in technological innovation. However, as exciting as this would be to many Londoners, the mayor has a long way to go to reach this goal in comparison to other cities. Singapore, Berlin and Tokyo's underground users (to name but a few) already have Wi-Fi access and currently New York City's subway system is working with Transit Wireless LLC to bring Wi-Fi to its commuters.

How do you think Wi-Fi will affect your journey?