Cell Phone Service Coming to Toronto Subways

6:10 am on December 5, 2008 | Category: Cellular, Telecom Services, Wireless, Wireless Technology

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The Toronto Transit Commission has announced plans to provide cell phone service on subway trains after a survey showed overwhelming demand for such a service.

“We will find a way to do this,” said TTC Chairman Adam Giambrone, who is already working with wireless carriers to bring cellular signals to Toronto’s subway tunnels. “It’s not a matter of ‘if.’ It’s a matter of ‘when.’”

59% of Toronto subway riders support bringing cell service to underground transit, with just 17% opposed, and 24% indifferent to the idea, according to a recent market research survey.

In order to meet this demand, numerous receivers will have to be mounted in Toronto’s subway tunnels. The underground network could take two to three years to install, at an estimated cost of $30 million, which will likely be picked up by cell phone carriers.

“There’s all sorts of benefits beyond simply being able to talk on the phone, e-mail and text,” commented TTC spokesman, Brad Ross. “If you’re waiting at a station and there’s a delay, you can phone home or your boss if you’re late for work. Typically, in subway stations that are underground, you can’t do that and you often see line-ups at pay phones.”

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    1. Hopefully people can hear whoever is calling from their a$$, cause that’s where their phones are gonna get shoved if this goes through.

      Comment by A. Nomi Mouse — December 5, 2008 #

    2. About all those EMF cellular signals being beamed around in a secluded tunnel. Does that pose a health risk in any way to subway passengers?

      Comment by Question guy — December 5, 2008 #

    3. Welcome to the 21st Century Toronto…a city like Hong Kong has had this for years and years and years. Now if only they could do something about the subway itself, its trains, its limited route, etc.

      Comment by Jabalong — December 6, 2008 #

    4. Seriously, a lot of Asian subways already has cellphone service since the usage of wireless technology…I find it funny how we Canadians are “debating” about this trivial matter when we’re suppose to be a “developed” country. Well, I guess I should blame the cell phone companies since they’re the ones who charge us ridiculous fees anyway.

      Comment by J — December 6, 2008 #

    5. TTC is doing because they will get some revenue from it. Don’t tell me TTC would be crazy to do it because customers want it.
      There should be a rule if you’re on the subway you can’t talk more than 5 minutes. It doesn’t take a person 30 to 60 minutes to tell someone they are late.

      Comment by Mike — December 6, 2008 #

    6. I think its a really good idea to be able to keep that conversation going when entering the tunnel. Ofcoarse anything can be left to abuse like people talking loud etc… However I noticed that if people don’t use their cell to talk loudly then they will just play music on their cell’s speaker. As to the question about EMF, well the answer is that it is not more harmful then what you are already exposed to.

      Comment by John — December 7, 2008 #

    7. Sweden (Stockholm) have had cell service on its subways since 2000….we are WAY in the 21st century so get over the old days, and get with it already!

      Comment by Aron — December 7, 2008 #

    8. They won’t allow cell phone receivers on a roof of a school because of proximity ..

      http://gothamist.com/2008/03/10/cell_phone_rece.php

      but how much closer will the receivers be in a tiny little subway tunnel? Will we be wisked withing inches of these receivers several times every trip on the subway???

      Comment by Question gurl — December 8, 2008 #

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    Edited by Jeremy Maddock