56 London Overground train stations to get free wifi

According to a report in The Telegraph, London’s Overground train passengers will be able to access 60 minutes of free wifi per day with the introduction of hotspots. The good news is that it will be free to begin with but it eventually become a pay as you go service.

Some of the major stations in the capital to get the service will be Dalston, Forest Hill, Hackney Central, Kensington Olympia, New Cross Gate, Norwood Junction, Shepherd’s Bush, Surrey Quays, Wapping, West Croydon, West Hampstead and Willesden Junction.

56 stations in total are to get the service, which should give commuters a head start on their email, allow them to stream the news or well, catch up on their online gaming.

“Access to the internet is no longer limited solely to home or to the workplace, and people’s expectation is to be able to work and communicate effectively and seamlessly while they’re on the move so we’re delighted to support this initiative which will bring reliable, free WiFi to London Overground’s customers,” said Steve Murphy, Managing Director of London Overground Rail Operations.

These hotspots will be managed by The Cloud which is owned by BSkyB and users will need to register once to access the service.

The London transport system is getting hooked up to the internet bit by bit in time for the Olympic games this summer. Virgin Media has already won the contract to provide access at stations for the Underground system.

Meanwhile for those not on the trains, O2 has signed a deal that will open up what it’s calling “the largest free wireless hub in Europe”.

For those who can barely leave home or work without being hooked up or if you prefer your connection over wifi to 3G then it looks to be a good summer for connectivity in the capital.