Visit to the 4G site with Mike Brown and Shashi Verma

On Wednesday 19th February, as part of our work experience with the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), Nicole – the Diary Secretary at the NIC, Abdul and I traveled to Canada Water where we met professionals such as the Commissioner of TFL – Mike Brown, the Director of Strategy and Chief Technology Officer – Shashi Verma, engineers, and the Health and Safety Officer. 

We were then given a briefing concerning the project, those involved in the project and the health and safety regarding the site visit.

The aim of this project is to enable stakeholders, such as commuters to have phone reception underground, enhancing digital connectivity. This phone service will use a leaky feeder system. Each platform at Canada Water Station will have a leaky feeder (which can emit radio frequencies).

During this amazing experience, I learned various new facts and greater insight into engineering, technical and practical challenges experts such as engineers and economists solve on a day-to-day basis. An example of a technical and economic challenge, was the mass conversion of power to heat due to the power two systems connected together, require to perform efficiently, and possible solutions for these challenges. These two systems are The Base System and the Ultra Path Interconnect.

This was such a wonderful opportunity, we all enjoyed the ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of how this 4G system works, through the collaborative effort of Transport For London (TFL), Generating Genius, The National Infrastructure Commission and all involved. Many thanks.