Report: Cell Phone Service Coming To Some Subway Platforms Next Week
NEW YORK (AP/WCBS 880) - Call it the last frontier for the loud cell phone talkers among us.
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The long-delayed project to wire New York City subway stations for cell phone service is finally bearing fruit. A person close to the matter says six stations will go live with the service on Tuesday.
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The person speaking on condition of anonymity says AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers will be able to use their phones at six stations in Chelsea. The person asked not to be identified because the official announcement is on Tuesday.
According to published reports, the stations will be the F/M and L platforms on 14th Street and 6th Avenue; the 1/2/3 platform at 14th Street and 7th Avenue; the L and A/C/E/ platforms at 14th Street and 8th Avenue; and the C/E platform on 23rd Street and 8th Avenue.
Sprint and Verizon phones won't work there for now, but word is that a deal with Verizon is in the works.
The company that's doing the wiring, Transit Wireless, has another five years to set up service at the other 271 stations in the system.
The project kicked off in 2007, but very little happened the first three years, as Transit Wireless ran into financing trouble.
Meanwhile, straphangers are reacting to the news.
"It's kind of annoying when people start talking," one told WCBS 880 reporter Alex Silverman.
"I welcome it. I like living in the 21st century. I like being hooked in," said another.
"I think it's gonna be very useful, whether it's because of safety or whether it's because you want to talk to somebody while you're waiting in the subway," said yet another.
What do you think? Is cell phone service on subway platforms a good idea? Sound off in the comments section below...
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