MTA Chief Walder: Cell Signals Coming to NYC Subways (video)

Tonight the NYC transit authority (aka the MTA) held their first developer conference in NYC. I attended the first half and have recorded a variety of videos and photos which I will post over the next couple of days with my thoughts on the event. Overall it’s awesome to see the MTA embracing technology and the developer community.

One of the audience questions asked MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jay Walder about when we might see WiFi signals and cell phone access across the buses, subways and commuter rail.

Mr. Walder noted that some things make him frustrated and the answer as to when we will have cell signals in the subway is one of those things as the answer goes on for pages and pages of explanation of why it won’t happen this decade.

There is a current MTA RFP for wireless service on commuter rail trains (that’s the LIRR and Metro-North).

There is a contractual arrangement to get cell service into the subway as well and Mr. Walder notes, “I hope that we will have that in the not too distant future as well”. He goes on to say that the timeframes have been established are unacceptable – something like 2019 and they are working on a range of different ways to make cell service underground a reality.

I can’t say I am a huge fan of cell phone service underground. It’s bad enough having to listen to music I am not interested in as if I was at a concert, now we will be subject to 200 phone calls as well — I can’t wait!

Here’s the video clip of Mr. Walder responding to the question about WiFi coverage and cell phone access in the subway: