As we reported last month, 80 Underground stations are soon to provide a free wifi facility to passengers. London Overground is quickly following suit with an announcement today that users will, by the end of this year, also be able to enjoy a similar facility. 56 stations on the network will allow passengers 60 minutes of free access each day.
The first phase of installation will see 12 wifi-enabled stations by December, with the remaining 44 rolled out during 2013. The initial batch of stations enjoying the service will include: Willesden Junction, West Hampstead, New Cross Gate, Forest Hill, West Croydon, Norwood Junction, Surrey Quays, Dalston, Wapping, Hackney Central, Kensington Olympia and Shepherd’s Bush.
Notably, free wifi at Underground stations will only be available until the end of the Paralympics (after which it will be provided on a pay-as-you-go basis, unless you are a Virgin Media subscriber). By contrast, wifi access at Overground stations is intended to remain free indefinitely. Kudos you, London Overground!
Passengers wishing to access the free service will be required to register with The Cloud, the provider of the facility. It is not yet clear whether, once registered, users will be able simply to access the same account each day or whether fresh registration may be necessary. We presume that it will be the former, so as to save users' time.
This is, undoubtedly, a welcome move on the part of London Overground and one which will see the daily commuting experience of many passengers enhanced.
Photo by Paul Wood in the Londonist Flickr pool.
