New Yorkers who find it annoying to wait for subways to pull into stations to use their phones will love the MTA’s latest announcement. More cell service will soon become available on portions of select trains in NYC.
MTA officials said during its monthly committee meetings on Wednesday that expanded cell service is coming to the 4 and 5 train tunnels from Bowling Green in Manhattan to Borough Hall in Brooklyn. Major portions of the G train from Court Street to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets will also get cell connectivity.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said the installation is being done at “no cost” to the public. Boldyn, formerly called Transit Wireless, is the company managing the connectivity work through a public-private partnership. MTA officials said at one of its committee meetings on May 28 that they expect $600 million of infrastructure development at no cost to the MTA or its customers.
“This is being done because a private company — the same company that outfitted the stations to have cell service — now is moving forward with us to put cell connectivity in the tunnels in between the stations,” Lieber said.
MTA leaders said implementation of the infrastructure is dependent on Boldyn getting track access for its buildout. But Lieber explained that installing connectivity will be seamless because crews can come into the tunnel whenever the MTA is already doing on-site work.
“Every time we do work in the tunnel, we are giving them the opportunity to come in and put in their cables to put in the infrastructure to create connectivity,” he said.
MTA officials did not announce a date for the expanded service but said it will happen “in the next year or two,” with more trains to follow.
The announcement follows connectivity in the Times Square Shuttle, which was turned on last year.
“People love it,” Lieber said. “Some people complain they have to listen to too many domestic arguments, but we’re going to give them that connectivity.”
