London Underground broadband doubts

A broadband expert has suggested that there may not necessarily be much benefit in setting up a Wi-Fi network across London Underground.

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, recently announced that he plans to set up hotspots across the network, with a view to establishing broader services by the time the 2012 Olympic Games arrive in the capital.

However, Chris Marling, editor of broadband and smartphone comparison site Broadband Genie, has some doubts about the demand for the services.

“Financially it will be quite an expensive task, especially as it will have limited appeal, so people shouldn’t expect to get this service for free,” he said.

“The general frequency of underground services and the fact most journeys do not spend more than a short time actually below ground means the majority of commuters would see a paid for Wi-Fi service as a luxury they don’t need.

Meanwhile, it was recently announced by BT that, by spring 2011, 87 per cent of homes and small businesses in London will have access to exchanges configured for fibre broadband.

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