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London Underground & BT team up to trial Wi-Fi at Charing Cross

BT has announced a Wi-Fi trial at Charing Cross Tube station which will be available to all Wi-Fi users, including non-BT customers.

From 1 November customers using Charing Cross Station in Central London will be able to use the BT Openzone Wi-Fi service from wireless enabled devices such as laptops, mobiles and other wireless devices.  The six month trial will look at demand as well as quality of service.

The service will be free for the five million BT Total Broadband customers who have unlimited BT FON Wi-Fi minutes or BT Openzone customers.  BT states that O2, Tesco Mobile, Vodafone, Orange and any other devices that have Wi-Fi minutes in their contract will also be able to use the BT Openzone network.  Anyone else can also get access by buying BT Openzone vouchers online (www.btopenzone.com).

The ticket hall area and the Northern and Bakerloo line platforms at Charing Cross will become accessible Wi-Fi hotspots.

Live service updates from the Transport for London (TFL) will also be available to all Wi-Fi users.  Transport for London is using the trial to help make information more accessible to customers and is paying BT for the trial with no cost to fare paying passengers or the tax payer.

Part of the reason for the trial is because London Underground is currently under a major programme of renewal and with disruptions likely, the TFL wants to make as much travel information available as possible to help commuters in the city.

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London’s Transport Adviser sees the trial as an important step in looking at the use of technology in the city to aid its transport system. 

Chris Bruce, CEO, BT Openzone, said: “Wi-Fi is rapidly becoming the simplest way for people to access the internet when out and about and with the launch of this trial at Charing Cross we are now giving commuters the chance to enjoy the UK’s biggest Wi-Fi network.”