The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced a public-private partnership to provide cell coverage throughout all 418 track miles of subway tunnels, along with an expansion of Wi-Fi service to all 191 above-ground subway and 21 Staten Island Railway stations. Transit customers currently enjoy cellular and Wi-Fi service at all 281 underground subway stations through Transit Wireless, a BAI Communications Company. A proposed expansion would transform the subway system into a fully digitally connected transit network that gives riders the ability to use their mobile devices throughout the entire subway system.

All underground stations currently have cell service and Wi-Fi. The proposed agreement would expand this to provide connectivity in the tunnels between stations and in above-ground stations. Further, it will enable Transit Wireless to improve the existing MTA communication system and generate revenue by marketing unused fiber to private customers. Transit Wireless would design, build and operate a neutral-host network that provides every subway tunnel in the system with a wireless communication connection.

In recent years, the MTA has made significant strides improving connectivity which included partnering with Transit Wireless to bring cell service and Wi-Fi to all underground subway stations in 2017, and in 2020, bringing cellular coverage and data connectivity to the L Train tunnel. The connection between Brooklyn and Manhattan on the L line became the first tunnel in the New York City subway system to have full connectivity, for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile customers.

-via Press Release