TfL signs £6.5m mobile networking services deal with O2

O2 will provide TfL with bespoke mobile services as well as iPads and mobile phones

Transport for London (TfL) has signed a mobile networking services deal with Telefonica O2 that could be worth up to £6.5m.

O2, which is to be taken over by rival Three UK's owner Hutchison Whampoa for £10.25bn, subject to regulatory approvals, is to provide TfL with bespoke mobile services and technology such as Apple iPads and mobile phones, TfL said.

Steve Townsend, CIO at TfL, claimed that the contract would "support our ongoing plans to equip staff with the modern technology needed for them to help and support customers as they travel on our network".

The procurement process was conducted jointly with the Greater London Authority, using an existing framework, and Townsend said that the process was designed "to provide high quality services whilst delivering value for fare- and tax-payers".

In June, Telefonica UK signed a deal with Exterion Media to allow advertisers to obtain anonymised data from O2 customers travelling with TfL. Insights garnered will include demographic profiling; where commuters live, work and visit; when and how often they visit locations; how they travel; and mobile phone, app and web activity.

Meanwhile, TfL has been busy tying up deals with tech firms in the past 12 months. Last year, it selected Computacenter and CSC as part of an £80m IT framework, and in February, the organisation awarded France-based services provider Atos a £6m contract to provide it with a service desk solution.