Cellphones on the Subway
More noise in NYC
11:20 AM -- New York City is finally getting cellphone service in the subways but only on the platforms, not the trains.
The New York Times reports today that the MTA has struck a deal with a company called Transit Wireless to install the service at all 277 stations on the system.
Transit Wireless will pay New York City Transit a minimum of $46.8 million over 10 years for the pleasure of building the network. The company will also pay the full cost of building network, estimated at $150 million to $200 million. The company plans to make money by charging cellular carriers fees to use the network.
Don't hold your breath for the service though. Transit Wireless will have two years to build out test networks in six downtown stations before building out the netork in the rest of the system. The MTA says that it isn't doing tunnels, because it would be too disruptive to everyday train service.
— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Unstrung
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