There’s bad news for tube users who have been enjoying the free underground wi-fi access that’s been provided by Virgin Media this year, as Virgin have announced that the free service is coming to an end.
Compulsive Twitterers and Facebook fiends may now find themselves without a free subterranean fix as the wi-fi service moves to a paid subscription model.
The good news is that if you’re connecting via Virgin Media, EE, Orange, T-Mobile or Vodafone user, the service remains free. Huzzah!
The bad news is that if you use a different mobile network provider – like me – you’ll have to shell out £2 for one day’s access, £5 for a week or £15 for a month. Boo!
The charges come in at the beginning of 2013, so that’s me stuffed for football updates when I’m waiting for the train at Brixton.
Virgin have slightly sweetened the pill with the news that 20 more tube stations will be coming on line today, with another 28 to follow in the new year.
Those stations include Camden Town, Clapham Common, Notting Hill Gate and Finsbury Park, although we’re still not sure if Stockwell is going to finally get its long overdue Wi-Fi access.
Read more here: Virgin Media introduces beastly charges for London Tube wi-fi and adds 20 more tube stations to network
I still can’t see the point. Rush down stairs, get on train, train leaves, go into tunnel: lose signal.
Simply to sign up I would have had to miss at least one train.
For me – station wifi access hasn’t really affected me, I’m never on a station plaform long enough to take advantage of it and, if i were, that would probably mean it was late at night and I would probably be drunk and access free wifi is always a bad idea when drunk. When we start to get a continuous solid wifi signal in carriages – between stations – that’s when it will start to get interesting/usable/dangerous when drunk
Once you’ve signed up for the service, it automatically logs you at each each station too so you don’t have to do anything.
It’s pretty damn handy when you’re running late and can email/GTalk friends to tell them- and it’s great for following footie scores too if you’re stuck on a tube journey too 😉
Obviously its great to have a free wi-fi at the stations. people can respond to there emails even if they are in a hurry. But for those who don’t spend much time on stations might not get much advantage from this.