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Toronto subway cell service to be available mid-2012?

By on July 9, 2010 at 6:55am in Asides, Mobile News, Various News

For those who take the subway in Toronto might be in luck as the TTC has started a bidding process to set up an underground cell network. It was actually started a couple years back but was pushed to the side for other priority projects.

So far the list of potential winners are Bell Mobility, Extenet Systems (working with Telus) and Broadcast Australia (working with Rogers). The winner will be responsible for providing service at all 69 subway platforms, pay for all costs such as installation and maintenance. There is no word on how much this will cost and the winner will also provide cell service to all regardless of carrier.

TTC chair Adam Giambrone said “This is what the future is. It’s about people using their mobile devices to listen to music, watch their programs, conduct communications. If you want to be part of people’s lives as their commuting choice, you have to make it as easy for them as possible.”

The TTC said they plan to make a decision of who the winner is by the end of 2010… possibly have service running in some stations by mid-2012.

Via: National Post

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  2. City of Toronto launches 311 service for non-emergency info
  3. Telus “Hard Cell” Toronto Design Show
  4. B.C. residents embrace $1,000,000 TELUS cell tower!?!

Discussion

11 comments for “Toronto subway cell service to be available mid-2012?”

  1. Its about freaking time. They decide this NOW after how many years….

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    Posted by Matthew Homen | July 9, 2010, 7:05 am
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  2. ewww…Ma Bell. They’ll milk you for airtime just like their wifi service in Starbucks. Heck, I won’t even use a payphone cause Ma Bell decided it was ok to charge 50 a cent instead of 25.

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    Posted by joseph niagara | July 9, 2010, 7:05 am
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  3. Wireless service in the TTC subway is about 8 years overdue already!

    Didn’t Bell have PATH service in ’97?? (And that was before digital mobile! When all one could do is talk on the phone, which was the size of an overnight bag, or a brick.)

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    Posted by Lewis® | July 9, 2010, 7:14 am
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  4. Don’t hold your breath. We were supposed to have new Subway trains by this time…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_subway_and_RT_rolling_stock#Future:_Toronto_Rocket_.28T35A08.29

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    Posted by Victor | July 9, 2010, 7:19 am
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  5. finally! i’ve been waiting for this for years!

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    Posted by Alex Flint | July 9, 2010, 7:54 am
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  6. I don’t get the TTC and how it does things. Its like they have inefficiency explicitly and strategically placed in every single one of their plans, just to piss off the people of Toronto.

    Either that, or the union that represents drivers, operators, ticket collectors, etc. has a hand in all of this. I still don’t get why someone who sits on their a*s all day collecting transit fares should get anything more than minimum wage, but I digress.

    If you’re going to do a system wide cellular system, you can’t just contract it out to one carrier. You have to contract it out to a third party telecom infrastructure organization to set up a network that can utilize any of the providers that would otherwise be available above ground. (Rogers, Bell, Telus, WIND, Mobilicity, Public)

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    Posted by James Lui | July 9, 2010, 8:10 am
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  7. This is LONG overdue. Should have had cell service on the subway 5+ years ago. Better late than never, I suppose.

    My question: Will it only be available on the platforms, or do they plan to extend the service through the entire tunnel? Some of the longer stretches between stations would no doubt require extra equipment to give riders coverage for their whole trip. I hope that’s what happens…

    I do like that “…the winner will also provide cell service to all regardless of carrier.” I hope that does end up happening, without crazy fees for using a third party network while underground.

    Only time will tell…

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    Posted by John V | July 9, 2010, 10:07 am
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    • Has it relaly come down to this. Changing the names of lines just to get funding for transit projects.Steve: Politicians are not too bright on the best of days, with few exceptions.

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      Posted by Derick | February 23, 2012, 9:55 am

  8. Not to be negative but knowing the TTC and the politics involved something is going to go horribly wrong that will delay this.

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    Posted by Alex | July 9, 2010, 10:24 am
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  9. LET IT BE ROGERS PLEASE!!!
    I Don’t want Bell or Telus involved in this.

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    Posted by yo guy | August 18, 2010, 7:58 am
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  10. I know this is just more mintue, but regarding the roll signs discussion above consider that signs of any kind, on their own, would likely not meet the TTC’s obligations in the wake of the station announcement lawsuit(s). There would need to be an audible announcement in conjunction with any visual indication of where the train is headed.

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    Posted by Aline | February 23, 2012, 1:45 pm
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