NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- MTA officials on Monday introduced a 10-year plan to install equipment that allows passengers to use their phones in all of the subway’s underground tunnels.
The installation will cost roughly $600 million but will be completed by the company Transit Wireless who according to officials, would collect a percentage from money made off data analytics collected by the new system, as well as advertisements riders must view before connecting to Wi-Fi at stations to help pay for it.
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The cost also includes the addition of Wi-Fi service at all of above-ground stations.
“It’s a great opportunity to make our customers’ trips better,” MTA deputy chief development officer Fredericka Cuenca said. “People today, they want to be able to send emails or texts or look at their news feed or do whatever through their entire trip and not have their connection phase in and out as they’re going through the tunnels from one station to another.”
The cell service would be installed in parts and expected to be complete by 2032 at the latest, Cuenca noted.
Currently cell service is only available in stations and the East River tunnel that runs on the L train between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The cell service upgrade on every subway track will involve outfitting “a couple hundred miles of tunnel with fiber cable and antennas,” Cuenca added.
The MTA board will vote on approving the plan on Wednesday during a meeting.
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