MTA plans to increase cellphone service underground and Wi-Fi at stations

NEW YORK - It is one of the most common complaints about subway riding. There is limited Wi-Fi and no cellphone service. The MTA has a new plan that expands technology. John Dias from CBS2 reports on the details. It is far from an easy task. Although work can be started immediately, the entire project will take at least 10 years. The '90s. 

They should hurry up, they need to go," said Beverly Boatwright, a commuter who is a regular subway rider. Although she can't understand why it would take 10 years to put new advances underground, she is happy that the MTA is doing so. She's not the only one. Rolando Borden, a Staten Island resident, said that they need to update their system. Janno Lieber, the MTA CEO, told CBS2 Monday that the agency will be installing equipment to connect riders to the Internet. One commuter stated that the plan included Wi-Fi service at all subway stations above ground. "It improves the quality and the ability to use the train." It will be a great experience for most people. Flatbush resident Robert Perris said that I don't care to listen to conversations of others. The first thing that most commuters thought of was safety. "I think it's great for emergency purposes, when it's necessary to contact family members or be delayed on the train," Patricia Hardy, a Flatbush resident, said. 

Officials at the MTA believe that the Wi-Fi project will generate more revenue than $1 billion annually by using COVID relief funds in an intelligenter and more sustainable manner to avoid this. Cell service is currently only available at stations and in the East River tunnel, which carries the L train from Manhattan to Brooklyn. On Tuesday, the MTA announced a plan for cell service between stations as well as expanding Wi-Fi access to its above-ground stations. Transit Wireless, a 5G wireless infrastructure company, is the agency's partner to complete the decade-long project. Since 2007, the company has provided Wi-Fi and cell connectivity at subway stations. In 2020, it will also install full connectivity along the local train. "Bringing cell connectivity to tunnels between stations and Wi Fi to above-ground stations in transit riders' experience is a major step forward," MTA CEO Janno Lieber stated in a statement. "And the deal MTA has struck will also benefit the MTA's bottom lines - which is a concern as the pandemic continues to decline." 

The announcement comes as the agency struggles with the financial problem of trying to recover the lost revenue from ridership drops. Transit Wireless will assume the $600 million infrastructure building task. The MTA will also share in the revenue from cell providers. "Having uninterrupted network connectivity underground will reimagine New Yorkers travel by giving them the opportunity to use every minute of their commute with mobile service and internet connection," Richard Davey, NYC Transit President Richard Davey stated in a statement. Ying Zhang, a Dumbo resident, said that she was looking forward to a better connected commute.

Zhang stated that having Internet Access Between Stations would be an amazing thing. It makes the commute easier if you can search, work, check your email, or check your Slack. She uses the F train to Manhattan daily, although service is interrupted by the underwater tunnel. "It's great for catching up on the news and reading e-books, but sometimes you need to refresh the page and move to the next page. "You have to wait until the next station or the next station." Soltzer stated that while connectivity is good, it's not a priority for Susan Stolzer who commutes by the 1 train to Midtown. She said she would prefer to see service improvements and upgrades. "I would prefer to see improvements in on-time performance, reliability of trains, not having 10 minutes wait for a train or being crowded, cleaner trains and cleaner stations. The MTA Finance Committee approved the contract Monday. It will be submitted to the full board for approval Wednesday.

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