For both mobile workers and consumers accessing the mobile internet can be a nightmare: slow speeds, congested networks and a lack of available coverage all combine to make for a disappointing experience.

However, a growing number of projects are coming to the fore that could well end this situation by providing access to several wide-scale Wi-Fi deployments across London and beyond.

Firstly, Transport for London (TfL) confirmed it is on track to roll out Wi-Fi hotspots to 120 of its stations in time for the Olympic Games later this year, with its chosen supplier set to be announced in due course.

"London Underground is continuing with preparations to install the necessary infrastructure and is on schedule to complete the project as planned," said TfL's director of strategy and service development, Gareth Powell, in a widely reported statement.

"An announcement of the chosen service provider will be made in early spring, leaving plenty of time for this to be delivered to customers in time for the 2012 Games."

Secondly, O2 announced on Tuesday that it has signed a deal with restaurant chain owner Tragus to provide free Wi-Fi access to both customers and non-customers in 120 locations, including Cafe Rouge, as well as Strada and Bella Italia restaurants.

"This agreement takes us a step closer towards our vision of changing the public Wi-Fi landscape within three years, by offering people free Wi-Fi connections in the places they want it most," said the managing director of O2 Wi-Fi, Gavin Franks.

"As O2 Wi-Fi's footprint continues to grow, we hope that more people and businesses start to realise the potential of free and fast Wi-Fi."

The rollout comes after O2 announced earlier this month that it will be creating what it claims is the largest free Wi-Fi network in Europe across areas of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, also in time for the Olympics later this year.

The confluence of these projects, which will see smartphone and tablet users across London and the rest of the UK able to access a growing number of Wi-Fi hotspots, is a welcome development for the UK.

Hopefully, it will show visitors to these shores that our nation progressing nicely in the digital era.

The announcement by O2 that it has started to use its 900MHz frequency holdings to deliver 3G services in London will be greeted enthusiastically by customers eager to see improved mobile internet speeds.

However, unless the device you're carrying around is equipped to access data over this frequency, you'll be stuck in the doldrums of sluggish internet connections for a little while yet.

Most major devices, though, will be able to benefit from the upgrade, with the iPhone 4, Google's Nexus S, the Samsung Galaxy S, and the HTC Wildfire, Desire and its Windows Phone 7 device, the Mozart, all 900MHz enabled.

This means owners of these products will be able to use the network to achieve better in-building coverage, increased capacity and connections up to 30 per cent faster, according to O2.

However, some notable devices will not be able to benefit from this improvement, with all previous models of the iPhone, the HTC Desire Z and the BlackBerry Bold 9000 just some of those left behind.

However, while some users of smartphones that are not able to use this new network may see this as a blow, Forrester principal analyst Ian Fogg pointed out that there were some beneficial side effects that should offset this disappointment.

"Non-900MHz 3G phones will benefit indirectly from O2's move because if other smartphones end up using the 900MHz spectrum this effectively frees up spectrum capacity for those 3G phones left behind on 2100MHz," he told V3.co.uk.

Tablet devices will also be able to benefit from the switchover, with both the iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab able to access the 900MHz frequency, but the original iPad cannot – perhaps giving those considering an upgrade another justification.

So, for the majority on O2 in London it seems as if faster internet connections are around the corner, but if you're stuck on a device that doesn't support 900MHz frequencies, at least you can take solace from the fact the airwaves may be a bit quieter for the time being.