More New York City subway stations are becoming interconnected for cell phones and WiFi through a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) project, and the MTA said it recently connected its 100th station.
The project aims to allow subway passengers to use wireless technology to access the Internet while at certain stations. The project is expected to be completed in 2017, when all of the city's 277 underground stations should be connected.
The MTA project is currently in the third phase of implementation, which will outfit 39 stations that serve approximately 12 million commuters monthly.
"The MTA has been on a clearly defined mission to improve our mass-transit system with upgrades to the station environment through several ambitious new-technology communications projects like this one, aimed at improving the travel experiences of our customers while offering another level of security," MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast said.
The project team is in the preliminary stages of the fourth phase, which will bring cellular and WiFi connectivity to an additional 37 stations located in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. With additional communication ability, commuters will have better access to emergency services, and intercommunication between response personnel also will be enhanced, ensuring faster response times.
The cellular connectivity project is in partnership with four major cell service providers, including T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon and AT&T.
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