O2 customers can join the London Underground free Wi-Fi conga... NOW!

O2 customers can join the London Underground free Wi-Fi conga... NOW!
O2 gets its act together with free tube Wi-Fi

O2 subscribers can now enjoy the blessings (or curses) of free Wi-Fi on the London Underground after the company opened up access to Virgin Media's network on Thursday.

The roll-out had been expected in June, but earlier this month O2 announced it would be delayed until July 22 while more tests took place.

So, despite being later scheduled, it's earlier than expected - if that makes sense - and access is now available to O2 users at 121 stations and platforms around the capital.

To jump on board, subscribers will need to download the O2 Wi-Fi application for iOS and Android and sign in. Each time they enter a Wi-Fi enabled area of the stations they'll be automatically logged in.

Last bastion of freedom?

Virgin initially set-up its underground Wi-Fi network to assist visitors to London during the 2012 Olympic Games, offering free access to all.

As the free period began to wind down, rival networks agreed deals with Virgin to keep the access gratis for their customers. O2 joins Vodafone and EE, both of which had already sealed agreements with Virgin last November.

The arrival of Wi-Fi on the tube has split opinion since its initial roll-out last spring. Some enjoy the extra connectivity, while others viewed a tube journey as the last bastion of freedom from work emails and annoying social networking feeds.

If you're stuck at Baker Street on your way to work on Friday morning, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Via TheNextWeb

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.