Huawei claims it could have delivered Tube mobile network in time for Olympics

SHENZHEN, CHINA: Huawei has provided more insight into the failed bid to bring a mobile network to the London Underground, claiming that it would have fitted key lines in time for the London Olympics if it had been given the go-ahead.

Tim Watkins, vice president for western Europe at Huawei, explained that the company had drawn up plans for installing the network, but that the commercial interests of the other companies involved had scuppered the deal.

"We were ready to go, and we had done the modellng and design work. If we had been selected and the contract was up and running we would have been in a position to deploy the network in advance of the London Olympics, certainly on the key lines to Stratford," he said.

"But the various interested parties, such as Transport for London and the four mobile operators, together with the management entities, were not able to agree on a commercial model due to the fact no taxpayer money could be spent on the network."

Early reports had suggested that Huawei was offering as much as £50m worth of free equipment, but Watkins said that this was far too high a figure, and that the company had offered some free hardware to showcase its abilities.

"£50m is not an accurate amount but, if the contract did get ressurected after the Olympics, we don't want commercially sensitive information to be out there. But £50m is certainly far too high," he said.

"We saw [the contract] as a very good opportunity to demonstrate Huawei's comprehensive capabilities in deploying wireless networks not only in the UK, but in difficult areas like underground networks."

However, Watkins added that it appears unlikely that any deal will go ahead in the future, claiming that "the project is dead".

This may be of relief to the V3.co.uk poll respondents who had voted against such a network being built.

The insights into the London Underground deal come after Huawei announced that it has won the contract to upgrade Everything Everywhere's entire 2G network to improve coverage, capacity and quality, and prepare the operator's base stations for 4G capabilities.

Huawei also revealed that it is planning a major foray into the high-end smartphone market during the coming months to enhance awareness of its brand, and voiced frustration with the attitude of certain elements in the US government.