No more dropped calls in the subway.
Well, it finally happened. New York City has been able to offer cellular service in six of the city's subway stations. Which is a plus for job seekers as well as frequent subway travelers. You may or may not know that the city has been making an effort to wire the underground rail system. This way, commuters can still use their phones and mobile devices during their commute. Even though it may seem trivial, it can make a huge difference in the way that we travel and stay in touch.
AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers will be the first people to benefit. They will be able to access their cellular service in six stations in Manhattan. The signal will be available at select stations and throughout the mezzanines, however there will be limited access within the tunnels.
This is still a pilot program, according to the MTA. If it is successful, they will begin to consider options to extend the service to all of their stations. There hasn't been any word yet as to when the other cellular providers will be able to get in on the act.
I think that it is just a matter of time before all of the stations will have cellular signals and even some of the tunnels. In fact, New York City is really behind the times when it comes to subway-based cellphone service. In Washington D.C, the signal was added in 2009. Boston has had this service since 2007 and San Francisco installed it in 2006.
But New Yorkers shouldn't feel bad, several major cities in Europe don't have cellular service in their subways either. London, for example, has no service, but they are working on adding it before the 2012 Olympic Games.
In any event, this is a welcome change for the city's subway riders and it has been a long time coming. The plan to extend cellular signal has been in the works since 2007. Now, four years later, it's finally a reality.
What do you think about this news? Will it make your subway ride easier or better? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for ManhattanJobsBlog and Nexxt. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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