[voodoofish]

I've noticed a few times before Vodafone tend to nearly always have signal at Heathrow, including underground in the Heathrow Express/Connect tunnels and in the transit train at T5 too.

Last time I was in T5 I noticed a black pipe tied to the wall above the train, that ran for the length of the tunnel. I was too embarrassed to take a photo but you can see it on this photo, on the ceiling just to the left of the train. It runs in the tunnels and in the stations, you can see if above the doors on the platform.

Does anyone know if this is a leaky feeder cable for mobile coverage? I can't find any information about it online, but can't think how else they've got coverage in the tunnels.

It's crazy that despite the fact Vodafone seem to have gone to the trouble of making sure you pretty much never have 'No Service' at Heathrow, their network is still super slow - when I landed back at Heathrow and was trying to check in from the plane, my phone was struggling on 0.5Mbps down and 0Mbps up 3G

[swb1964]

I think generally Vodafone are good for coverage, but bad for *capacity*, which is a different thing.

I've no idea about the specifics of Heathrow, having never been, but I would suspect if you are getting coverage inside a tunnel, a leaky feeder is involved. I still don't understand why they don't shove them down the tube. Is it really that tight for space down there?

[jonmorris]

The upgraded sites will have no capacity issues and I've had speeds in excess of 70Mbps at Heathrow (arrivals at terminal two).

[Mark C]

Quote:

Originally Posted by voodoofish

I've noticed a few times before Vodafone tend to nearly always have signal at Heathrow, including underground in the Heathrow Express/Connect tunnels and in the transit train at T5 too.

Last time I was in T5 I noticed a black pipe tied to the wall above the train, that ran for the length of the tunnel. I was too embarrassed to take a photo but you can see it on this photo, on the ceiling just to the left of the train. It runs in the tunnels and in the stations, you can see if above the doors on the platform.

Does anyone know if this is a leaky feeder cable for mobile coverage? I can't find any information about it online, but can't think how else they've got coverage in the tunnels.

I've found this with a bit of light Googling:-

http://www.alandickcomms.com/news-mersey-rail.html

Fitting a system in a tunnel requires at lot of plant and logistics, and is hence very expensive, probably one reason the London Underground doesn't have a (public) system in the tunnels

[GreenLantern]

It'll be a leaky feeder on 2G for a few networks,

Vodafone and EE for sure have strangely strong 2G signal in those tunnels and nothing else, so I suspect that is the case.

They do it abroad a lot more than they do it here . . .

[conorsh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

It'll be a leaky feeder on 2G for a few networks,
They do it abroad a lot more than they do it here . . .

Right you are. I was astonished to see the impressive coverage provided by Telenor in Norway going through tunnels between islands.

[swb1964]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark C

Fitting a system in a tunnel requires at lot of plant and logistics, and is hence very expensive, probably one reason the London Underground doesn't have a (public) system in the tunnels

Have the networks offered to pay? I would certainly be against spending public money on it.

More of a concern would be the radiation in the (metal) tube train from all those dozens of phones transmiting.....

[Mark C]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swb1964

Have the networks offered to pay? I would certainly be against spending public money on it. .

Me too, but I don't think there's ever been a suggestion the state should pay for such a scheme ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by swb1964

More of a concern would be the radiation in the (metal) tube train from all those dozens of phones transmiting.....

How is that worse than when the train is on an overground section ?

[The Lord Lucan]

Get EE in all places in Heathrow, so it may be multi network gear. Which may make it cheaper to run. Shared costs etc, remember Boris saying he wanted all major travel hubs to have coverage so might be something to do with his department. Underground is another beast though as it rather expensive to do... But.. It will happen.

[moox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swb1964

Have the networks offered to pay? I would certainly be against spending public money on it.

I believe the underground wifi system is a commercial effort (ads/selling access to other firms for their customers) so it's unlikely that this would be publicly funded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by swb1964

More of a concern would be the radiation in the (metal) tube train from all those dozens of phones transmiting.....

Like when you're on a normal train, you mean? Not that any link to phone radiation and cancer/illness has been proven AFAIK