MrJeeves
Established Member
Marble Arch, Lancaster Gate and Hampstead are live as of yesterday.
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LU/Elizabeth Line 4G update
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JonnyM
Member
While this is good news, I was looking at the rollout map the other day. TfL have got a mountain to climb if they are going to keep their 80% of network covered by the end of 2024 promise. They really need to start speeding the rollout process up significantly.
Another trip and still only L2100 10MHz on o2 in liz line stations.
Are other networks setup for better configurations than this? I cannot understand why they would put new radios in then only enable L2100?! Surely L2300 or L2600 could be enabled, or is this not supported by the cabling? I do understand NR3500 being much higher frequency, but L2300 is barely any higher than L2100.
Are other networks setup for better configurations than this? I cannot understand why they would put new radios in then only enable L2100?! Surely L2300 or L2600 could be enabled, or is this not supported by the cabling? I do understand NR3500 being much higher frequency, but L2300 is barely any higher than L2100.
JonnyM
Member
Is it live in the tunnel between Belsize Park and Hampstead? Or just the station?
MrJeeves
Established Member
Not totally sure, quite honestly.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Was both alive and working in the tunnels last Saturday when I traveled, ever so slightly sloshed from edgeware to Embankment and on to Victoria
FirstclassHST
Member
4/5G in stations only on Elizabeth line except Whitechapel, they said the whole line would be ready by spring meaning they only have like a month or so get it sorted lol
So Canary Wharf and Woolwich have 4G then?
Not yet.
FirstclassHST
Member
I did say it’s totally not happening in spring, most probably at this rate will be open in Dec 2024/ Jan 2025
Any update on the Piccadilly line or Victoria line?
I note the map says the sections between Holborn/Russell Square and Oxford Circus/Euston should be live by the end of spring 2024 but haven't heard anything about these lines so far.
I note the map says the sections between Holborn/Russell Square and Oxford Circus/Euston should be live by the end of spring 2024 but haven't heard anything about these lines so far.
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Gigabit
Member
District Line I suspect slips into 2026
Think they've recently got a very short section done. Going eastbound on the Central line I used to receive signal on arrival at Holland Park, but over the past few days I've started receiving signal as we depart Shepherd's Bush (still nothing in the station tho).
Currently on a soutbound Victoria line service. I believe it’s live between Euston and Oxford Circus in the tunnels although not at Oxford Circus and Euston in the Stations. Warren Street does appear to have service on the platforms.
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JonnyM
Member
A geeky, technical nugget of information I noticed on the westbound at Shepherds Bush is that Boldyn originally installed the small, round cells but these have been since removed and replaced with the usual square metal boxes. Any one know why? The outline of the small cells are still showing.
I’ve noticed that Boldyn are seemingly getting coverage in the tunnels first rather than the stations as previously. It kind of makes sense given that platform WiFi can be used in the station.
TheHSRailFan
Member
- Joined
- 16 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 245
probably the mentality of getting the hardest done first. Station wifi will be replaced eventually...
Gigabit
Member
If they removed the station Wi-Fi they’d cut off some of the above ground stations they don’t plan to cover. For example Putney Bridge and East Putney have poor/no coverage in the walkways to the platforms. So unless they plan to install cells there - according to my FOI request it is a no - then they will create coverage holes.
I am not sure why they aren’t just installing cells at every station, this would be good for capacity if nothing else and they already did it with Wi-Fi.
I am not sure why they aren’t just installing cells at every station, this would be good for capacity if nothing else and they already did it with Wi-Fi.
Are you suggesting that they blindly install cells at every station, even above ground stations which already have perfectly good coverage?
MrJeeves
Established Member
Yeah...?
Small cells are used heavily across cities for capacity as Gigabit pointed out.
In fact, most of O2's traffic in the City of London gets put through their dense network of small cells. Outside.
Gigabit
Member
Well, yes.
But even failing that, do you not agree that at stations above ground which don't currently have good coverage in the walk ways etc it would be sensible to install cells there? They managed to do it with Wi-Fi more than a decade ago, so the strategy is slightly baffling to me. As I mentioned, East Putney, Putney Bridge don't have good coverage in the walkways or passages (with Putney Bridge having MNO masts installed very close by so it's an issue of building construction not lack of infrastructure). But TfL insist they won't cover these as the coverage is already acceptable (I don't believe it does pass for acceptable having used it on every MNO but I am sure TfL have a robust method).
TfL's response is that the MNOs should be able to do it on their own - but this is slightly contradictory as they are covering some stations that already have coverage and so are over-building anyway.
I am generally very supportive of the strategy but there are some odd holes in it. I wonder if in time these will be resolved but I am quite cynical. I am sure like most things it comes down to economics but I would have preferred to see an approach of providing coverage for above ground locations too where it is currently limited (and this was the original promise although TfL insist it wasn't despite my providing evidence of that).
We do run the risk of ending up in a two tier system, where we have excellent connectivity in the below ground stations and tunnels and far less reliable coverage and performance above ground.
But let's see.
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The infrastructure is already in, that isn't the issue for the Elizabeth Line at least, its just sorting out the software I believe. So they could switch it on tommorow but it would mess with the signaling system.
MrJeeves
Established Member
The Elizabeth Line core uses CBTC which transmits instructions from the signalling system directly to the train via radio frequencies. I believe those frequencies overlap with WiFi and/or some cellular network bands, hence the concerns.
Amazingly you are right, it uses 2.4GHz I think to communicate with the train.https://assets.new.siemens.com/siemens/assets/api/uuid:ae0a4c2a-efbf-4931-8f73-1fadc62b1b60/broschuere-trainguard-mt-e.pdf
Which would have issues with wifi but not with 4G/5G - but the wifi network on the train is operational even in the tunnels which could cause interference (plus people with personal hotspot left on). So I'm a bit lost to what the actual issue with this?
Which would have issues with wifi but not with 4G/5G - but the wifi network on the train is operational even in the tunnels which could cause interference (plus people with personal hotspot left on). So I'm a bit lost to what the actual issue with this?
... which aren't 2.4GHz