YES! Cellphone service will be brought into the Subways in 2012. I think it’s a good thing that TTC is bringing service into stations, it will help people communicate better, and will make the whole traveling experience a more easier one. I mean, if you have reception, you can find people your meeting at stations alot easier, you can let people know if you’re runninng late, and you can continue your texting/talking. Sometimes, you want to run up to make a uick two-minute call, but with reception being brought into the stations, the commute will be made more easier and friendlier. I wish we could fast forward now to 2012.
The TTC board is expected next Wednesday to vote to allow three pre-qualified telecommunication companies to bid to provide the service.
“For the TTC to be part of people’s commuting lives, you want to make it easy, so it has everything to do with having air-conditioning in cars to making frequent service, but also to make your time on the system as productive as possible,” said TTC chairman Adam Giambrone.
Under the initiative, cellphone companies will be allowed to install cellphone-service equipment in subway stations, but not the tunnels.
This is due to the “narrow window at night in which work can be done in the tunnel,” said TTC spokesperson Brad Ross. The logistical issues make it difficult for the TTC to give cellphone company work crews access to the tunnels to install transmitters.
“We have priorities at the TTC with regards to maintenance and repair work that needs to be done,” Ross said.
Even though riders may lose signal between stations, the close proximity of some stations, especially those in the downtown core, will mean that a cell signal can “bleed” into the tunnels and commuters will likely be able to keep their connections. On station platforms, riders will be able to fully use their cellphones.
“It’s all about network connectivity and quality of ride,” TTC vice-chair Joe Mihevc said, adding that since the phone company will be covering all the costs, the project is cost-neutral to the TTC.
The three cellphone companies are Bell Mobility Inc., Chicago-based Extenet Systems partnering with Telus, and Broadcast Australia Limited partnering with Rogers.
The winner of the bid will be announced this year with service available as early as mid-2012.
Cellphone in subways is nothing new. In 1993, Washington DC became one of the first to “retro-fit” their stations and many Asian metropolises like Hong Kong and Seoul have made this part of their subway systems as well.
In addition, the TTC has introduced a new system in which commuters can text a stop number to 898882 (txtttc) and receive an automated response telling them when the next streetcar is scheduled to arrive.
Tags: News