Passengers on Boston’s public transport train service can now use their cellular phones and other wireless devices while underground, to make calls, send text messages, and receive T-Alerts while using the subway. They can also access the Internet and check emails. 

 

Daniel A. Grabauskas, general manager at Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced that wireless services are available, for the first time ever, in the train tunnels connecting the four downtown Boston stations that comprise the core of the nation's oldest subway.

 

“T customers with services from T-Mobile (News - Alert), A,T&T and Verizon Wireless are able to receive and make calls from the eight train platforms at Park Street, Downtown Crossing, Government Center, and State Street Stations,” he said in a statement.

 

The system has been designed to deliver service coverage from above ground to station platforms, walkways, and the trains traveling between stations. The MBTA had contracted with InSite Wireless, LLC to design, build and operate a wireless infrastructure solution, which enables multiple licensed cellular providers to deliver wireless voice and data services to T riders. 

 

According to a 15-year license agreement with InSite Wireless, the MBTA will be paid a minimum of $4 million.  In addition, as the wireless network expands to other parts of the subway system, additional license fees will be negotiated.

 

MBTA also plans to add additional stations and tunnels to the underground wireless network in 2008 and 2009.

 

At present, Washington DC has a subway wireless network owned by Verizon (News - Alert) Wireless. A year ago, the Bay Area Rapid Transit had added service in some San Francisco tunnels and on platforms and according to news reports, is expanding to other parts of the system over the next two years.

 

New York reportedly has a pilot program to make cellular service available in its subway. However, Paul Fleuranges, a spokesman at the transit agency, told Boston Globe that New York City Transit signed a deal this fall with an outside contractor to equip all platforms in the city with cell phone and wireless Internet service.

 

He added, “But officials there decided not to include service in the tunnels because installation of cell equipment would disrupt too many trains.”

 

“The subway was never really built for a lot of modern technology that we're overlaying,” said Fleuranges.