'Phones on Tube' plan to go ahead

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Time to join us in the 21st century.

Nah, when the majority of my work in the office is audio typing, I don't need voices in my head when I'm NOT at work

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I don't think so.

Wiki arrived at this conclusion:



There are indeed reports that the City of London police thought about pulling the plug - but the network overloaded anyway.

As it will in a major incident of any kind.

Well, while I like Wikipedia I wouldn’t take it as gospel. That said I could be wrong, I’m going on recollection from news reports release a few months after the event. But anyway, like I said, it’s not like bombings on the underground is a regular occurrence so the example used to justify not having mobile use on the tube doesn’t hold.

 

[laptop]

Well, while I like Wikipedia I wouldn’t take it as gospel.

Me either. But it's easy to find and it's not part of Lizard Enterprises

While I appreciate editor's point about a discreet call in circumstances - such as one-on-one violence - when standing by the platform intercom and shouting "Hello! I'm a tout!" would be brave... the speaking-tube network itself is still very likely to fall over when anything major happens, as is the mobile network as a whole.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Me either. But it's easy to find and it's not part of Lizard Enterprises

LOL! Agreed.

While I appreciate editor's point about a discreet call in circumstances - such as one-on-one violence - when standing by the platform intercom and shouting "Hello! I'm a tout!" would be brave... the speaking-tube network itself is still very likely to fall over when anything major happens, as is the mobile network as a whole.

Define major? Would a train derailment bring down (due to phone calls etc) the network for example?

 

[laptop]

Define major? Would a train derailment bring down (due to phone calls etc) the network for example?

Probably.

Rush-hour train carries - what - 1000 people?

6 try to make helpful reports of what assistance is needed, 823 try to call their offices to say they'll be late for their essential meeting with the marketing performance review team's performance review team...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Probably.

Rush-hour train carries - what - 1000 people?

6 try to make helpful reports of what assistance is needed, 823 try to call their offices to say they'll be late for their essential meeting with the marketing performance review team's performance review team...

Good numbers; though couldn’t say about their relevance. We need someone who knows about this shit on here!

 

[pooka]

I think it's only going to work in stations and not in tube trains travelling through tunnels.

Don't think so.

I was on a very crowded Clapham North platform at morning rush hour a month or two back (the train had broken down and turfed everyone off and then sat there for ten minutes).

In the huddled silence, it became apparent that one guy was actually talking on his mobile. And continued to do so all the way to Stockwell. The effect on the assembled throng was total shock, followed by much taking out of mobiles to check their signal.

By the time we got to Stockwell people were shouting from the other end of the packed carriage "what network you on mate?". It was such a revelation that people were actually communicating with each other on the tube!

Must have been a trial for the project.

For myself, the only prospect worse than getting a noseful of someone else's armpit is having to listen to their inane chatter at the same time! Perhaps they should make it available, but charge the earth for it (apart from emergency calls) and use the revenue to subsidise fares).

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Now that mobiles are allowed on the Tube it ought to be easier to phone and report incidents caused by the use of mobiles on the Tube.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Now that mobiles are allowed on the Tube it ought to be easier to phone and report incidents caused by the use of mobiles on the Tube.

unless police block networks because of incidents caused by the use of mobiles on the Tube

 

[detective-boy]

Well, while I like Wikipedia I wouldn’t take it as gospel. That said I could be wrong, I’m going on recollection from news reports release a few months after the event. But anyway, like I said, it’s not like bombings on the underground is a regular occurrence so the example used to justify not having mobile use on the tube doesn’t hold.

My understanding of the "final" version of events is that (a) it wasn't closed down by anyone because they thought bombs might be set off by it; (b) the Met didn't ask for anything to be done in their bit of the world (probably because they didn't get round to it!) but (c) the City of London Police did ask one network provider (I seem to recall it was O2) to initiate their emergency protocol whi only allows priority chipped phones to work. This system was invented following previous major incidents because it doesn't take a huge amount of work to overload a cell-site (ever tried getting a line as a concert or something kicks out, or as a goal is scored at a football ground or whatever). Without any priority access this means that it is enirely random who gets a line and who doesn't. Special priority chips have been supplied to some members of all the emergency services which allow priority access. Unfortunately not everyonewho needed mobile phone communication (especially the LAS) had specially chipped phones ... I seem to recall City of London Police saying they were sorry and had been a bit over-enthusiastic fairly recently.

 

[scott_forester]

Bring it on! I travel to work by overground, so why should you underground types escape the braying wankers and their endlessly banal bullshit?

You'll have to yell to be heard on some lines.

 

[Radar]

In the huddled silence, it became apparent that one guy was actually talking on his mobile. And continued to do so all the way to Stockwell. The effect on the assembled throng was total shock, followed by much taking out of mobiles to check their signal.

By the time we got to Stockwell people were shouting from the other end of the packed carriage "what network you on mate?". It was such a revelation that people were actually communicating with each other on the tube!

Must have been a trial for the project.

Or an excellent windup. Wouldn't take more than a couple of his friends going "Yeah mate, I got a signal too!" to get a feeding frenzy going.

Anyhow, it's all going to be (shitloads of ) money in the bank for LU. I wonder when we'll get a commensurate fare drop

 

[waverunner]

Or an excellent windup. Wouldn't take more than a couple of his friends going "Yeah mate, I got a signal too!" to get a feeding frenzy going.

Anyhow, it's all going to be (shitloads of ) money in the bank for LU. I wonder when we'll get a commensurate fare drop

Fare drop??? Prices'll probably rocket cos now 'tubes come with the added advantage of being able to chat on your mobile while your face is stuck in someone else's armpit and you're squashed against the doors! Don't you want to pay extra for that?!'

 

[Dan U]

Apart from the obvious, "I'm going to be late because the tube's been cancelled", a mobile could come in handy for reporting unattended bags, dodgy fellas and other crimes - you cxould either do it as the train stopped off at a tube or get off.

theres communication points on every platform? more than one in busy stations.
and a comms link to the driver in a lot of carriages.

please no mobiles on tubes, is no where sacred!