Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 12:06 PM
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(Kate Hinds)
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Subway riders can now call their mothers and surf the Web from 30 more stations, ranging from 14th to 96th Streets in Manhattan. The MTA expanded its underground wireless service today to a total of 36 stations, which serve an annual average ridership of 7 million customers per station.
WNYC created a map of the connected stations. Check it out below.
The authority plans to add wireless voice and data
communication capability to 40 stations in East Midtown and Queens by
early next year, including stations at Herald Square, Grand Central
Terminal and Flushing-Main Street. The long-term plan is to bring
wireless to all 277 underground stations by 2017.
The service brings Wi-Fi and phone connections to riders while they're inside a station but not while they're traveling between stations on a train.
The MTA said Sprint and Verizon will soon be joining AT&T and T-Mobile in giving their customers access to 3G and 4G phone service. The carriers, along with Transit Wireless, are paying the entire cost of the roughly $200 million project. The MTA expects to earn a minimum of $3.3 million a year from the system once it's built out.
Transit Wireless is subcontracting with Boingo Wireless to provide and manage the Wi-Fi connection. That service is free but Boingo could charge for it later. Subway customers using Wi-Fi in a station now see a 15-second video ad when they access the service.
Source: http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/transportation-nation/2013/apr/25/where-subway-wi-fi/#
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Transit Wireless announced on Thursday that wireless and Wi-Fi service is now available at more than 30 underground subway stations in New York City. The project has been in the works for five years, and Thursday's announcement marks the first phase in a multi-year plan to bring wireless communications to 277 NYC subway stations. Transit Wireless CEO Bill Bayne held a press event inside the Times Square subway station, which is among those getting service. "It is a befitting tribute to our mission to enable state-of-the-art wireless service to all of the underground subway stations by kicking it off underneath the most famous crossroads in the world: Times Square," Bayne said in a statement.
In addition to Wi-Fi service, commuters will have access to cellular networks underground. Both Verizon Wireless and Sprint have signed on as cell service providers at 36 stations -- from 14th Street to 96th Street -- joining T-Mobile and AT&T. Other partners include Alpha Technologies, which is proving backup power for the underground system, and SOLiD, which is supplying antenna system equipment.
[ Is the Big Apple preparing to become the world's next major tech center? Read New York City Builds On Its Technology Base. ]
Transit Wireless and the MTA launched a pilot program in 2011, offering Wi-Fi and cellphone service at select stops on the L, A/C/E, and 1/2/3 subway lines. Wireless service is expected to be available at the remaining 241 subway stations by 2018 or sooner. Stations in Queens and Midtown Manhattan will be next, followed by the East Side of Manhattan and the Bronx. Subway commuters can check if their stop has access at Nycsubwaywireless.com.
Transit Wireless spent approximately $200 million to design, build, operate and maintain the system, initially partnering with Wi-Fi hotspot provider Boingo, AT&T and T-Mobile. Transit Wireless said it would split revenue generated by the system with the MTA, which is estimated to be $40 million over 10 years.
The latest development is part of New York City's continuous effort to broaden wireless network services available to residents, commuters and tourists. Ongoing projects include pay phone kiosks in the streets, "micro-trenching" fiber-optic cable to neighborhoods and wireless access in public places.
On May 4, AT&T and the MTA will host a "hackathon," where developers will compete to create apps that "solve real-world problems and enhance the transit experience of MTA's 8.5 million daily riders." Dubbed MTA App Quest, the challenge will award a total of $50,000 in prizes. Developers will have the option of building their apps using the MTA's public data and APIs.
E2 is the only event of its kind, bringing together business and technology leaders across IT, marketing, and other lines of business looking for new ways to evolve their enterprise applications strategy and transform their organizations to achieve business value. Join us June 17-19 for three days of 40+ conference sessions and workshops across eight tracks and discover the latest insights in enterprise social software, big data and analytics, mobility, cloud, SaaS and APIs, UI/UX and more. Register for E2 Conference Boston today and save $200 off Full Event Passes, $100 off Conference, or get a FREE Keynote + Expo Pass!
Source: http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/36-nyc-subway-stations-get-wi-fi/240153631
The service brings Wi-Fi and phone connections to riders while they're inside a station but not while they're traveling between stations on a train.
The MTA said Sprint and Verizon will soon be joining AT&T and T-Mobile in giving their customers access to 3G and 4G phone service. The carriers, along with Transit Wireless, are paying the entire cost of the roughly $200 million project. The MTA expects to earn a minimum of $3.3 million a year from the system once it's built out.
Transit Wireless is subcontracting with Boingo Wireless to provide and manage the Wi-Fi connection. That service is free but Boingo could charge for it later. Subway customers using Wi-Fi in a station now see a 15-second video ad when they access the service.
Source: http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/transportation-nation/2013/apr/25/where-subway-wi-fi/#
36 NYC Subway Stations Get Wi-Fi
MTA and Transit Wireless enter the first phase of a multi-year plan to bring wireless communications to 277 NYC subway stations.
New York's 32-Story Data 'Fortress'
(click image for slideshow) The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Transit Wireless announced on Thursday that wireless and Wi-Fi service is now available at more than 30 underground subway stations in New York City. The project has been in the works for five years, and Thursday's announcement marks the first phase in a multi-year plan to bring wireless communications to 277 NYC subway stations. Transit Wireless CEO Bill Bayne held a press event inside the Times Square subway station, which is among those getting service. "It is a befitting tribute to our mission to enable state-of-the-art wireless service to all of the underground subway stations by kicking it off underneath the most famous crossroads in the world: Times Square," Bayne said in a statement.
In addition to Wi-Fi service, commuters will have access to cellular networks underground. Both Verizon Wireless and Sprint have signed on as cell service providers at 36 stations -- from 14th Street to 96th Street -- joining T-Mobile and AT&T. Other partners include Alpha Technologies, which is proving backup power for the underground system, and SOLiD, which is supplying antenna system equipment.
[ Is the Big Apple preparing to become the world's next major tech center? Read New York City Builds On Its Technology Base. ]
Transit Wireless and the MTA launched a pilot program in 2011, offering Wi-Fi and cellphone service at select stops on the L, A/C/E, and 1/2/3 subway lines. Wireless service is expected to be available at the remaining 241 subway stations by 2018 or sooner. Stations in Queens and Midtown Manhattan will be next, followed by the East Side of Manhattan and the Bronx. Subway commuters can check if their stop has access at Nycsubwaywireless.com.
Transit Wireless spent approximately $200 million to design, build, operate and maintain the system, initially partnering with Wi-Fi hotspot provider Boingo, AT&T and T-Mobile. Transit Wireless said it would split revenue generated by the system with the MTA, which is estimated to be $40 million over 10 years.
The latest development is part of New York City's continuous effort to broaden wireless network services available to residents, commuters and tourists. Ongoing projects include pay phone kiosks in the streets, "micro-trenching" fiber-optic cable to neighborhoods and wireless access in public places.
On May 4, AT&T and the MTA will host a "hackathon," where developers will compete to create apps that "solve real-world problems and enhance the transit experience of MTA's 8.5 million daily riders." Dubbed MTA App Quest, the challenge will award a total of $50,000 in prizes. Developers will have the option of building their apps using the MTA's public data and APIs.
E2 is the only event of its kind, bringing together business and technology leaders across IT, marketing, and other lines of business looking for new ways to evolve their enterprise applications strategy and transform their organizations to achieve business value. Join us June 17-19 for three days of 40+ conference sessions and workshops across eight tracks and discover the latest insights in enterprise social software, big data and analytics, mobility, cloud, SaaS and APIs, UI/UX and more. Register for E2 Conference Boston today and save $200 off Full Event Passes, $100 off Conference, or get a FREE Keynote + Expo Pass!
Source: http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/36-nyc-subway-stations-get-wi-fi/240153631