In the latest part of its 20-year concession to deliver high-speed mobile connectivity across the entire transport network, Boldyn Networks has been charged with delivering a 4G mobile network infrastructure that will enable the country’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) for London Underground.
Neutral host provider Boldyn Networks was awarded a 20-year concession by Transport for London (TfL) in June 2021 to deliver high-speed mobile connectivity across the entire London Underground network. TfL carries up to four million passengers a day on the London Underground network, and renewing and preparing the communications network for the future has long been regarded as essential to maintain and improve critical infrastructure.
The network upgrade is seen as an important step in updating London’s public safety critical communications, enhancing response times and improving the quality of information available to emergency services personnel addressing live incidents.
Boldyn’s delivery of infrastructure for ESN on the London Underground is being carried out in collaboration with leading UK mobile provider EE, TfL and the UK’s Home Office, with the primary aim of enabling more resilient and reliable communications services in the future for thousands of first responders including police, fire and ambulance services.
The ESN has endured a series of problems since its inception with the £2bn network project beset by delays and cost overruns. In 2015, the UK Home Office contracted suppliers to provide a new ESN to replace the existing and well-liked Airwave terrestrial trunked radio (Tetra) network used by all 108 police, fire and ambulance services across England, Scotland and Wales to communicate between the field and control rooms.
As part of its Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), the Home Office intended ESN to fully replace Airwave, be less expensive and provide users with access to “modern” mobile data. The government expected to turn off Airwave in 2019. In the same year, the Home Office contracted BT-owned EE to provide priority access to its mobile network and increase network coverage. It also contracted Motorola Solutions UK for software and systems including critical features not normally found on a mobile network, such as a first-of-a-kind “push-to-talk” functionality.
Numerous delays and criticism of the role of Motorola Solutions eventually led to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opening an investigation into the role of the Airwave network in the ESN in October 2021, with a particular focus on the impact of Motorola’s dual role as the owner of the company providing the planned new mobile radio network and as a key existing supplier. In May 2023, the CMA recommended restricting how much Motorola can charge the emergency services to use Airwave.
In January 2025, after several further delays and much criticism from Parliament regarding the project and its leading technology stakeholder, the current government decided to embark on a different approach to deliver the infrastructure, appointing new IT and comms partners including IBM and Ericsson.
The deployment for London Underground will aim to provide “seamless” mobile coverage across the 137 Tube, Docklands Light Railway and London Overground stations located underground. It will provide first responders with immediate access to what could be lifesaving data, imagery, live video and public safety information, supporting faster and more coordinated responses to live situations.
Yet Boldyn also accepts that delivering these new capabilities within the London Underground presents unique engineering challenges because it is one of the UK’s most complex transport environments.
“Access to connectivity for the emergency services can’t be compromised, especially in an environment as complex as the London Underground. Critically, ESN will ensure first responders can stay connected when it matters most, with access to the data and tools they need to respond quickly, safely and successfully,” said Paul Osborne, chief commercial officer UK at Boldyn Networks. “We’re proud to continue our work with TfL and EE to help safeguard the millions of daily passengers across the London Underground network.”
In addition to the project to deliver mobile coverage across the Tube network, which remains on track for delivery by the end of 2026, Boldyn and TfL have committed to scaling the capital’s fibre backbone and installing small-cell technology on street furniture.
Commenting on the new project, TfL’s director of technology products and operations, Rebecca Bissell, said: “Keeping our customers and London’s emergency services personnel safe while they travel and operate across our network is our top priority. That means ensuring frontliners are equipped with immediate access to lifesaving information to respond more effectively to emergency situations and keep London moving safely.”
Faisal Mahomed, managing director of ESN mobile services at BT Group: “Extending ESN below ground marks another important milestone in our long-term commitment to empowering Britain’s emergency services with trusted, mission critical communications. We’re pleased to be working alongside Boldyn Networks and TfL to provide this service.”
