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Wi-Fi on the underground

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stuartmoss

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But which station is it.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18278943

BBC News said:
New London Underground wi-fi put to the test

During the Olympics, wi-fi access will come to the London Underground system for the first time.
Virgin Media is working with Transport for London to wire up around 80 stations.
The service will only be available on platforms rather than on trains, but it is expected to prove popular with passengers checking up on travel information, sending emails or using social networks.
Technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones got a sneak preview at one station where the equipment is being tested.
 
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SS4

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He's obviously on the Victoria line and at 00:24 the train appears to say Brixton judging by the word length so it's southbound. It's bound to be a central London station and it looks quite new (or refurbed of course). I'm ruling out Victoria though because the platform would not be that empty during normal service.

I think this symbol should be at the beginning and end though:
UK-product-placement.jpg

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I wonder how long it'll take before it gets used for VOIP and one has to listen to annoying folk in suits thinking they're more important than they are :(
 

fgwrich

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Either way, it's one of the reccent refurbished stations on the Vic line and should be rather identifiable by the Wifi routers pointing down from the ceiling...Shouldnt take too long before everyones down there on their smartphones finding out which station it is. :lol:
 

Mojo

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Looks like Warren Street to me.

What happened with the BTOpenzone trial at Charing + some time last year?
 

Daniel

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The station is the video is certainly not Oxford Circus. My best guess would be Warren Street. There are 82 stations getting WiFi in the first phase.
 

The 375 King

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He's obviously on the Victoria line and at 00:24 the train appears to say Brixton judging by the word length so it's southbound. It's bound to be a central London station and it looks quite new (or refurbed of course). I'm ruling out Victoria though because the platform would not be that empty during normal service.

I think this symbol should be at the beginning and end though:
UK-product-placement.jpg

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I wonder how long it'll take before it gets used for VOIP and one has to listen to annoying folk in suits thinking they're more important than they are :(



wi-fi on tube trains is about as important as buffet cars. Next it will be mobile reception so we will lose the only location where one can be mobile free for half an hour.
 

trentside

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wi-fi on tube trains is about as important as buffet cars. Next it will be mobile reception so we will lose the only location where one can be mobile free for half an hour.

Actually, I think Wi-Fi on the tube will be useful for many people. The only thing I anticipate is people so glued to their phones they don't look where they're going - just like when people walk and text. Of course, the Wi-Fi will not be on the trains, just the stations so at many times there will only be a limited opportunity to use it.

Mobile phone usage could also become possible through apps such as Skype!
 

urban469

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Actually, I think Wi-Fi on the tube will be useful for many people. The only thing I anticipate is people so glued to their phones they don't look where they're going - just like when people walk and text. Of course, the Wi-Fi will not be on the trains, just the stations so at many times there will only be a limited opportunity to use it.

Mobile phone usage could also become possible through apps such as Skype!

They could bar VoiP apps like Skype (because they eat up bandwidth). That would keep the Tube free of the scourge of (voice) phones.
 

Mojo

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Given Warren Street is one of the 82 stations (according to the LUL staff newsletter), and from what I remember of Warren Street as one of my former local stations, I'd say Warren Street isn't a bad bet.
 

SS4

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Actually, I think Wi-Fi on the tube will be useful for many people. The only thing I anticipate is people so glued to their phones they don't look where they're going - just like when people walk and text. Of course, the Wi-Fi will not be on the trains, just the stations so at many times there will only be a limited opportunity to use it.

Mobile phone usage could also become possible through apps such as Skype!

The last thing crowded platforms need would be people paying even less attention than they already do or hanging around on the platform to finish updating their status.

They could bar VoiP apps like Skype (because they eat up bandwidth). That would keep the Tube free of the scourge of (voice) phones.

I'm not sure how they'd manage that on a technical level. They could block the site and maybe block the ports although I guess with limited time they'll either not bother or clog up the platform. Virgin trains don't block it last time I checked (manage to get 5Live checking for a game but there wasn't one)
 

urban469

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I'm not sure how they'd manage that on a technical level. They could block the site and maybe block the ports although I guess with limited time they'll either not bother or clog up the platform. Virgin trains don't block it last time I checked (manage to get 5Live checking for a game but there wasn't one)

I think it's quite easy, they just block access to the ports that VoiP apps use. I've been on certain 3G networks where they do that. Never seen it on a wifi network, but I don't think it would be hard to do (you could even do it at home if you want!).
 

Nym

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Would be too easy, and if they tried to use an HTTP based workaround then it's still easy as you just flag and block all "p" flagged packets associated with VoIP and Streaming ;)
 

Deerfold

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I'm not sure how they'd manage that on a technical level. They could block the site and maybe block the ports although I guess with limited time they'll either not bother or clog up the platform. Virgin trains don't block it last time I checked (manage to get 5Live checking for a game but there wasn't one)

EC block any streaming. Not saying you couldn't get round it but it stops it being simple.
 

urban469

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Currently live at every station on the Victoria Line. More due this month, and another load next month. By the Olympics, this will be the situation:

http://pictures.recombu.com/digital/news/M10549/1338545716.jpg

There will be a further 40 stations by the end of the year.

It is pretty amazing. Register once and it auto-connects every time you go through a wifi station. I got a shock last night when my phone beeped going through Green Park.
 

VTPreston_Tez

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Currently live at every station on the Victoria Line. More due this month, and another load next month. By the Olympics, this will be the situation:

http://pictures.recombu.com/digital/news/M10549/1338545716.jpg

There will be a further 40 stations by the end of the year.

It is pretty amazing. Register once and it auto-connects every time you go through a wifi station. I got a shock last night when my phone beeped going through Green Park.

Some shocks on there. Not Wimbledon, Bond Street, Heathrow 5 but Archway, Tufnell Park? Pretty suspicious tbh.
 

Deerfold

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I'm wondering if this might be a bit of an own goal during the Olympics.

TfL are advising people to avoid travel where possible during the Olympic period. However, free WiFi will be available inside stations - I wonder how many may come in (with a travelcard) just to use the WiFi...
 

Mojo

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Posting this message from the WiFi at Warren Street and Oxford Circus and I'm pretty sure Warren Street is the station in question, further to my posts above.
 

Clip

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I'm wondering if this might be a bit of an own goal during the Olympics.

TfL are advising people to avoid travel where possible during the Olympic period. However, free WiFi will be available inside stations - I wonder how many may come in (with a travelcard) just to use the WiFi...

Why would they do that when they can use wifi for a £3 coffee at maccy ds or starbucks?
 

Clip

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Because they already have a travelcard they've paid for?

Still seems rather odd. Its not like everyone uses wifi anyway - most have massive data bundles nowadays so wifi can be rendered useless on a mobile.
 

SS4

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Still seems rather odd. Its not like everyone uses wifi anyway - most have massive data bundles nowadays so wifi can be rendered useless on a mobile.

Massive data bundles is far from the truth, I'd hazard a guess and say 500MB is the most common plan out there. I don't get how it's odd though, surely you'd get no mobile signal and thus no mobile internet on the Tube.
 

urban469

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Heathrow Terminal 5 is owned by BAA. Wimbledon is run by SWT. It has been suggested that Crossrail stations are being avoided at the moment.

Why avoiding Crossrail? Because the wifi boxes/wires will have to be disconnected when work starts?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
This is REALLY annoying me!

From the Virgin Media website:
"Why does the Virgin Media Portal always appear when I open my browser in a station?
When you connect at the start of your Tube journey and open your browser, you will be taken to the Virgin Media Portal page to give you instant access to useful information like the latest travel news and London information."

It means when I hit refresh on my browser, I get TWO of their annoying splash pages. By the time I've got through those, the train is just starting to pull out of the station...!
 

Clip

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Massive data bundles is far from the truth, I'd hazard a guess and say 500MB is the most common plan out there. I don't get how it's odd though, surely you'd get no mobile signal and thus no mobile internet on the Tube.

Really? I get unlimited with 3 and over 1GB with T mobile - more than enough.

I was saying its odd to claim people would just go to the tube station to use wifi - nothing more, nothing less.
 

Deerfold

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Really? I get unlimited with 3 and over 1GB with T mobile - more than enough.

I was saying its odd to claim people would just go to the tube station to use wifi - nothing more, nothing less.

Unless it's changed 3 are the only operator to offer actual unlimited bandwidth (which is the main reason I'm with them - I occasionally use lots which can be pricey). Other operators claim to but then have (un)fair usage clauses which can be as low has 0.5 Gb.

I know of people who've sat near an EC train (at a terminus) for a few minutes of their wifi...
 
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