WiFi vendor Bluepod media is trialling free WiFi on two London bus routes as part of a Transport for London test scheme ahead of a potential rollout across all routes.
The WiFi networks have been deployed on the route 12 bus between Dulwich and Oxford Circus, as well as the RV1 route from Covent Garden to Tower Hill.
TFL has said it hopes to rollout WiFi across the city bus routes if it can find sponsors to fund the connection on around 7,500 buses. An estimated six million commuters users London buses every day.
TFL already has a WiFi agreement for the London Underground with Virgin Media which covers 144 tube stations. Virgin has agreements in place with O2, EE, Vodafone and Three which allows their customers to use the WiFi for free.
TfL’s Head of Technical Services Group Simon Reed said: “London buses have always led the way with new technology on its network, benefiting the millions of passengers who make the most of the extensive network every day.
“Innovation is a key theme of the Year of the Bus and we have worked with our suppliers to find new and innovative ways to further improve the experience of our passengers. These trials will establish whether this technology provides genuine benefits to people on the move.”
The trial is being billed as part of the ‘Year of the Bus’ celebrations, which is also seeing CCTV systems introduced on two routes to tell passengers on the lower deck whether seats are available upstairs.
Last week, London Mayor Boris Johnson promised to improve data coverage in the capital and said that London would have 5G technology by 2020.
