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London Mayor reveals Tube phone network plans
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pcernie
Legend
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:30 pm Posts: 45931 Location: Belfast
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Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has revealed more about his plans to kit out the London Underground with a mobile phone signal, announcing that he wants mobile operators to bear all the costs of the installation. City Hall explained last week that it would not push the cost of getting the Tube mobile-ready to the tax payer, with Johnson preferring that the five big mobile phone operators - Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and 3 – would spread the cost of the project. Modest proposal Although no solution has been finalised, according to City AM, the Greater London Authority has said that a solution: "remains dependent on the market providing a credible proposal that satisfies both technical and commercial considerations". According to the Sunday Telegraph, Johnson is hoping to have phone reception installed in the tube network before the 2012 Olympics, something which was also outlined in the Digital Britain report. Last June, however, it was decided by Transport for London that allowing mobile phones to work underground was not "financially viable". Considering that there's been a promise of decent air conditioning in carriages for what seems like forever, we are not exactly holding our breath that we will soon be able to phone folks from under the paving slabs of Baker Street any time soon. Read more: http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and ... z1063Oc7JZ
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 6:41 pm |
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JJW009
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:58 pm Posts: 8767 Location: behind the sofa
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Mobile phone signal is far cheaper to achieve than aircon. Most of the cost will be down to bureaucracy.
The stations themselves are trivial; the cost a few quid each to fit some static repeaters. Given the number of mobile users down there, I'm sure the networks would be happy to pay the million or so it might cost to do all of them.
The trains are more complicated. Does anyone know how the drivers communicate? Is it by wire or radio? Does anyone know how Virgin trains do their WiFi? Whatever works for them should be extendible in it's basic principles to the mobile networks.
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 7:40 pm |
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james016
Doesn't have much of a life
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 5:52 pm Posts: 1899
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Drivers communicate by radio.
As a tube user, being underground is one place where you can't hear everyone's ringtones going off at once and the synchronised shouting. I really don't want this and I'm sure a lot of commuters won't want it either. Respite from the office and all that.
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 7:48 pm |
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Linux_User
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:29 pm Posts: 7173
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I know bringing air conditioning to the Underground will be expensive (having to update ventilation at all those underground stations etc), but it's worth it for passenger/taxpayer comfort, surely? Sure aircon doesn't rake in money, but sweltering down on the Tube is no fun, and we're dealing with human beings here.
I don't even live in London, but I'll happily chip in towards the billions it will cost to make the tube that much more comfortable to use when I visit.
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 7:52 pm |
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JJW009
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:58 pm Posts: 8767 Location: behind the sofa
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Aircon for the tube system would require heat-pumps on a scale not seen anywhere on earth. In the busy summer periods, it may well use more energy than the actual trains. What they really need is better ventilation. I can't even breath down there. Seriously; I've nearly passed out a few times due to lack of oxygen combined with the heat and the stress.
_________________jonbwfc's law: "In any forum thread someone will, no matter what the subject, mention Firefly." When you're feeling too silly for x404, youRwired.net
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:04 pm |
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Linux_User
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:29 pm Posts: 7173
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I'm fairly ignorant of how aircon works, but anything to bring the temperature down by 10C(+) in the summer would be more than welcome...
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:29 pm |
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JJW009
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:58 pm Posts: 8767 Location: behind the sofa
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I've been led to believe there are regulations concerning the minimum environmental temperature in a place of work, but nothing about the maximum. Is that true? If so, a change in the law would be a good start. I'm pretty sure companies would find the most economical way to cool their property down if the alternative was closing for a large chunk of the year!
_________________jonbwfc's law: "In any forum thread someone will, no matter what the subject, mention Firefly." When you're feeling too silly for x404, youRwired.net
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:37 pm |
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Linux_User
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:29 pm Posts: 7173
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Yep, AFAIK that's the case.
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Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:42 pm |
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paulzolo
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:27 pm Posts: 12251
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The noise on some tube trains I have been on on would surely make using a phone nigh on impossible? If everyone around is shouting down theirs, and you are nose to armpit in commuters anyway, then I would not think that you would be best placed to make or take a call.
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Tue Sep 21, 2010 10:00 am |
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hifidelity2
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:03 pm Posts: 5041 Location: London
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The problem with AC on the underground is
Lack of space on the trains That if you take heat from the train then the only place it can go is the stations Increased ventellation required at the stations
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Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:06 am |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am Posts: 29240 Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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Yes I agree but there are very good benefits of having a mobile signal underground. No more dead brazilians mistaken for a terrorist because the police could not be contacted. It would also be good for tourism, particularly the 3G users using map data etc.
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Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:06 pm |
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