Big Apple Adds Mobile and WiFi to Subways

New York City Transit has struck a deal with a consortium called Transit Wireless to provide mobile and WiFi links in all 277 subway stations across the Big Apple. According to the reported terms of the contract, Transit will pay NYT a sum of US$46.8 million over ten years, for the rights to wire the stations, though it will not be allowed to enter the tunnels. In return, Transit Wireless will be allowed to charge cell phone companies for all calls made to and from passengers' phones whilst they are on the stations.

The deal, which still needs final approval from the Metropolitan Transport Authority, will see Transit Wireless wire up six stations to begin with. The remaining 271 stations will follow shortly after.  Transit Wireless will have to meet the full cost of providing the wireless network, which is estimated to be between US$150 million and US$200 million.

Under the agreement, the first six stations are to be those at 23rd Street and 14th Street on the Eighth Avenue line, 14th Street on the Seventh Avenue line, 14th Street on the Sixth Avenue line, and Eighth Avenue and Sixth Avenue on the L line. Once the system is shown to be working at these stations, the roll out will continue to the rest of New York's transport system.

Transit says it plans to cover all areas of the stations, including entryways, mezzanines, platforms and transfer passages and will design the system to allow a seamless connection between the train and street level, so that users will not lose calls as they move in or out of the stations.

The debate over whether or not to provide better mobile phone access in the subway system has raged for the last three years. NY Transit originally received four bids for a proposed project back in January 2005. The decision to go ahead was finally taken after passengers continually complained of poor coverage especially when the trains were not running to schedule. Officials said yesterday that wiring the stations would help passengers during emergencies, like the flooding that knocked out much of the subway service last month.