[URBAN NOTE] "Wind Mobile to bring cell service to Toronto’s subway system"

[rfmcdonald]

The Globe and Mail's Christine Dobby reports on the Wind Mobile initiative in the TTC. I approve.

Wind Mobile Corp. has struck an exclusive deal to bring cellular service to its customers who use Toronto’s underground subway.

The wireless carrier ‎announced the move during a press conference with the city’s mayor, John Tory, at a downtown Toronto subway station Wednesday morning.

‎The company is working with BAI Canada, which holds a contract from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to implement cellphone and WiFi coverage in the subway system.

Yet, to date, BAI has only deployed WiFi service at a number of downtown subway stations, leaving many transit riders frustrated that they cannot use cellular service to make calls and send text messages during their commutes.

Wind said it has set up infrastructure to deploy cellphone service on the platforms of 18 stations in the downtown lower loop of the Toronto subway system.