The Financial Times reports that London Underground is close to securing a deal to put a mobile network on the tube before the 2012 Olympics. Huawei is likely to provide the telecoms equipment for the service, which will be installed and maintained by Thales, in partnership with the UK’s mobile operators, claims the paper. Under the proposals being considered, Huawei would offer its hardware at a large discount as a loss leader, as part of a wider effort to break into the UK market. The entire system is expected to cost in excess of £100 million, with the operators also bearing a large portion of the expense.