Since we have had the ability to run our lives from the palm of our hand, people have been campaigning for phone and internet connectivity on the Tube. After a period of badgering, TfL bowed to pressure and partnered with BT to trial a WiFi service at Charing Cross station in 2010. As well as satisfying customer demand, TfL wanted to gather hard data on who would truly utilise an Internet connection several feet below the street. After an initial buzz of excitement, it died away like a quickly-deflating balloon and that was that. Or so I had hoped.
It was announced last week that Virgin have won a contract to provide WiFi connectivity to 120 stations on the London Underground network. Instead of waiting on a crowded platform filled with the rustle of newspaper page-turning, we are now facing early mornings soundtracked by the tapping of iPhones and BlackBerry devices and the pinging alerts to BBMs and iMessages. Thanks, Boris.
I get it, I really do. You would have your smartphone surgically attached to your hand if you could. A 40-minute interval 'offline' whilst you travel to work is too much to ask. 40 minutes away from Facebook, BBM or Twitter? Unthinkable. It's enough to make you consider getting the bus to work. The solution? 'Let's demand WiFi on the Tube'.
Admittedly, the scheme is only for ticket halls, escalators and platforms. TfL have said that it is too costly to fit network transmitters to trains - probably the only time that i've been grateful for TfL's lack of investment in something.
So what benefit does hosting WiFi underground have to its customers? Firstly, there's the financial benefit - a potential profit source for both Virgin and TfL. The scheme will be free to use from its launch in July until after the Olympics when it will becoming a pay-as-you-go service. Judging by competitors prices, the price for access would probably be pounds rather than pence. In these troubling economic times for the country, travel fares are rising astronomically year on year. TfL increased their fares by 6% this year alone, so the optimists amongst us would hope that some of the profit generated from this project would offset some of the costings passed back on to the consumer through fares.
There's also the safety aspect. In the event of a transport disaster or other serious emergency, WiFi would be a great tool to aid the emergency services find and assist the injured or trapped - or even communicate with each other. It would reassure those waiting for news above ground - even if that was via a quick 'Don't panic - i'm safe!' tweet or Facebook update.
You could even go as far to say that there are economical benefits - workers would have the opportunity to make key business decisions on the platform - all before reaching the office. It sounds like a dream come true, doesn't it? Dream on...
There are already concerns about the negative effects that mobile technology is having on society - we are a nation addicted to communicating virtually. Voice calls are on the decline, texts and instant messaging services are on the rise. We are constantly online - always connected to our virtual social network - so much so, we are sent into a spiral of anxiety when we cannot get online. I've seen the looks of panic on people's faces when Twitter or Facebook has momentarily gone offline. I'll also never forget the text I recieved from a friend one rainy afternoon within moments of her arrival in sunny Menorca - "How can I get internet on my phone so I can check Facebook?".
Additionally, mobile technology means that workers are never truly away from their desks. With the ability to send and receive email on the go, the working day has often begun before you've finished eating your Weetabix and is continuing long after you've finished your dinner. Some companies are even defining holidays according to whether you'll be contactable via email or not. The 9-5 just became a 24/7.
Therefore, that small window when we pass under London, devoid of the ability to communicate with nobody except our fellow passengers, unbeknownst to us, is actually a godsend. Sherry Turkle, a US sociologist who has written several books on the subject of human-technology interaction, said at a recent TED lecture: "If we're not able to be alone, we're going to be more lonely. If we don't teach our children to be alone, they're going to be more lonely."
The Underground to me, is a safe haven from everyday life. It's the period of my day where I get to sit down (okay, sometimes sit down), listen to some music or read a book without the distraction of text messages or phone calls. It's my time. A chance to gather my thoughts before throwing myself into the throng of everyday life. I am no-one Underground - I enjoy the anonymity of just being another person going somewhere.
So please - let's leave the Internet at the ticket hall.