METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

30 MTA subway stations to offer wireless service

Allows users to make and receive cell phone calls, send text messages, stream music and play online mobile games. It also enables security services such as E911 that allow dispatchers to know when a call is being placed from an underground platform and the forthcoming Help Point Intercom system.

April 25, 2013
2 min to read


As part of the multi-year project to build a state of the art wireless network in the New York City subway system, Transit Wireless and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) brought online 30 new subway stations in mid-town Manhattan, including Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle.  

The stations joined the initial six in Chelsea, which went online in September 2011.

MTA officials and executives from Transit Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Boingo Wireless demonstrated the service at the Times Square Station.

In addition, representatives from Sprint and Verizon Wireless were also on hand to announce that both carriers are finalizing agreements to participate in the network, meaning that all four major carriers are expected to provide cell phone and data connectivity to their customers in New York’s underground subway stations.

“For the past three years, the MTA has been on a clearly defined mission to bring our mass transit system into the 21st century with upgrades to the station environment through several ambitious new-technology communications projects like this one, aimed at improving the travel experiences of our customers while offering another level of security,” said MTA Interim Executive Director Thomas F. Prendergast.

While the network allows users to make and receive cell phone calls, send text messages, stream music, play online mobile games and more, all from underground subway station, it also enables important services that improve security such as E911 that allow dispatchers to know when a call is being placed from an underground platform and the forthcoming Help Point Intercom system, which will help riders get basic travel information or get help in an emergency with the push of a button, right on the platform.


More Rail

Caltrain trains on tracks
Railby StaffMarch 6, 2026

Caltrain Adopts Corridor-Wide Right-of-Way Safety Strategy

Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.

Read More →
A photo of rail tracks in Ottawa, Canada

Building a National Framework for Transit Safety and Consistency

On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.

Read More →
Stairs in a New York rail station with text reading "USDOT Invests $686 Million to Modernize Aging Rail Stations."
Railby StaffMarch 2, 2026

FTA Invests $686M to Modernize Aging Rail Stations

Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A purple MBTA train at a Mansfield Station platform.
Railby StaffFebruary 27, 2026

MBTA Updates Rail Modernization Plan to Expand Reliability and Accessibility

The strategy outlines near- and long-term upgrades to ease congestion, support housing growth, and advance statewide climate goals.

Read More →
LA Metro underground station with vehicle
Railby StaffFebruary 27, 2026

LA Metro Sets D Line Subway Extension Launch Date

The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.

Read More →
MBTA railcars
Railby StaffFebruary 26, 2026

Boston's MBTA Marks Progress in Regional Rail Modernization

The procurement advances the agency's broader efforts to modernize its rail fleet and position Regional Rail for long-term improvement.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An Amtrak Acela
Railby StaffFebruary 26, 2026

Amtrak Sets New Course for Long-Distance Fleet Renewal

Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.

Read More →
A TriMet MAX Light Rail vehicle overhead shot
Railby StaffFebruary 24, 2026

STV Finalizes Design for First Phase of TriMet MAX Blue Line Substation Upgrades

The milestone is a significant step toward modernizing the MAX Blue Line’s power infrastructure, one of the oldest components of the region’s light rail system.

Read More →
HDR rendering of LA to Coachella Valley Rail Project
Railby StaffFebruary 20, 2026

HDR Selected to Advance LA–Coachella Valley Rail Corridor Project

The firm will lead the Tier 2 environmental review program for the Coachella Valley Rail Corridor, including the conceptual and preliminary engineering needed to develop project-level environmental clearance.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rendering of Austin Transit Partnership's light rail line.
Railby StaffFebruary 19, 2026

Contractor Chosen to Help Build Austin Light Rail

The ATP board’s approval of ARC enables ATP to begin pre-construction activities and advance final design for Austin Light Rail under the first phase of what will be a multibillion-dollar contract.

Read More →