On Sep 11, 4:24*pm, Roland Perry wrote:

In message
, at
07:53:32 on Sun, 11 Sep 2011, Mizter T remarked:

Fitting equipment in deep level tunnels however isn't
that easy a proposition - there'd need to be a near enough as can be
100% guarantee that it wouldn't catch fire, nor interfere with any
safety critical LU kit such as signalling or comms, plus there'd be
the very real issue of maintenance access.

They fitted mobile access into the Heathrow Express tunnels years ago.
Also the tunnel on the Oslo airport express. None of the issues you
mention would be special to the London tubes.

And the T&W Metro has had it since the early/mid noughties. However
they are all are smaller networks / lengths of tunnels, the tunnels
themselves are all of a larger bore, and they are all of at least
relatively modern construction. I'm not suggesting it'd be impossible
on London Underground, merely that the issues are likely to be
somewhat exacerbated.

Perhaps the most pertinent point is that no telecoms company has as
yet installed any mobile access on the LU network, even just on
stations (though see my earlier comments re the wifi project) - it's
not like TfL haven't been interested either:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03...ile_cancelled/

Some pertinent comments from a TfL spokesperson in the above piece...

---quote---
A spokeswoman for TfL said: "London Underground tendered for a trial
of mobile phones on the Waterloo and City line, but the market has yet
to provide us with a credible proposal for enabling mobile phone use
on the Tube.

"While it is technically possible to deploy mobile phone and data
wireless solutions on the deep level Underground tunnels and stations,
the unique nature and environment of the Tube mean that project costs
would be prohibitively high at this time."
---/quote---