Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Subscribe
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Subscribe
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile
    • Networking

    Verizon Joins Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile in Offering Subway Service

    Written by

    Michelle Maisto
    Published August 21, 2013
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Verizon Wireless customers can soon expect to see some service bars on their mobile phones when they’re in 36 of the more heavily trafficked subway stations.

      Verizon announced Aug. 20 that it has finalized an agreement with Transit Wireless—the organization that operates the wireless network in the New York subway system—which means Verizon customers will have access to 3G and 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) voice and data services “later this year.”

      “We have now secured partnerships with all four major wireless carriers to bring the vast majority of New Yorkers, visitors, government agency personnel, transit employees, contractors and first responders the ability to be connected in the stations we’ve constructed—a real milestone.”

      Over the next few weeks, Verizon plans to install its “Base Station Hotel facilities” in the 36 stations already offering wireless service via AT&T and T-Mobile and Sprint.

      Sprint finalized its contract with Transit Wireless July 24, while AT&T and T-Mobile announced their deals April 25, alongside Boingo Wireless, which is offering WiFi service.

      The initial stations include Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle and other stops between 14th Street and 86th Street on the west side of Manhattan.

      Verizon, in a statement, noted that the subway investment comes on top of the more than $3 billion that it has already invested in its infrastructure regionally, and that it’s “always exploring opportunities” to expand network coverage, both
      “above ground or below.”

      Verizon also plans to participate in Phase 2 of the Transit Wireless project, which will bring online an additional 40 stations, including Grand Central Station, 34th St. Herald Square, Bryant Park and stations on Manhattan’s east side and in the borough of Queens.

      “The ability to make and receive phone calls underground is an important improvement for safety and security as well as convenience, and our customers will certainly appreciate it,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast.

      Safe Surfing

      The city’s campaign to “allow riders to maintain their digital lifestyle” runs counter to an earlier theft-reduction effort that included posters telling subway riders,

      “Don’t play dumb with your smartphone.”

      MTA officials insisted, back in April, that the Transit Bureau was stepping up security, and that people should “feel as comfortable using [their phones] underground as they do outside.”

      More feet on the ground won’t prevent information theft, however, and so the Transit Wireless and Boingo encourage anyone using the public WiFi network to also use a virtual private network (VPN).

      Boingo’s free Wi-Finder app includes a free personal VPN for iOS and Android devices, as well as Windows and iOS-running laptops.

      The pair also suggest not logging on to highly personal sites, like banking sites, while waiting for a train, and to stick to trusted WiFi providers. The Boingo network is currently sponsored by HTC, and can be found under the name FreeWifibyHTCONE.

      The full list of stations with wireless service can be viewed on the Transit Wireless site.

      Michelle Maisto
      Michelle Maisto
      Michelle Maisto has been covering the enterprise mobility space for a decade, beginning with Knowledge Management, Field Force Automation and eCRM, and most recently as the editor-in-chief of Mobile Enterprise magazine. She earned an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.