According to a new report from the TTC’s CEO, cellular and 5G connectivity will soon be available in some areas of Toronto’s subway.
The transit commission is working with Rogers to provide service on the TTC, with the goal to have it accessible in some parts of the underground system by this fall.
The first phase will roll out connectivity on Line 1 tunnels and stations from St. George to Bloor. This includes cellular and 5G capability, including 911 coverage.
The second stage will enable service at Line 2 stations from St. George to Keele, and from Yonge to Castle Frank. This phase will see cellular and 5G access provided at stations, but not tunnels, by winter 2023.
READ MORE: Toronto transit riders and advocates demanding cell service on the TTC
Freedom Mobile customers already have service on some sections of the subway, using the BAI Communications Inc. system. However, Bell, Rogers and Telus never signed on.
The report released last week does not say if this access will be available exclusively for Rogers customers, or if it will also be accessible for customers of other service providers. Rogers officials had previously said they planned to work with other service providers to bring them on board.
Toronto Wants Subway Cell Service
This news comes as many people in the city have taken to social media to share their concerns about the current lack of cell service within Toronto’s subway system.
Toronto City Councillor Paul Ainslie recently tweeted his frustration with the lack of service on Toronto’s subway.
“The joys of the TTC subway system……no Wi-Fi in the tunnels between stations in Scarborough yet! #Rogers Waiting to come up for air at Warden…” the councillor tweeted.
Meanwhile, other people feel the transit commission has bigger fish to fry.
And others consider the city late to the game with enabling cell service.
“This is stupid. We are so behind in society advancement it’s insane. Transit in Asia has had cell service [a] long time ago, and yet here it’s like a new discovery still scrambling to work,” one person on Twitter said.
