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Urban Legend in the Making: Subway Platform Cell Phone Service
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 1, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 1, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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In November, it was reported that, in spite of a lack of news, cell phone bids to wiring subway stations were still alive. But the Sun reports that they may actually be "dead in the tracks", as MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow isn't sure if the agency will pick a vendor:
The service providers want riders to make calls while in the tunnels. The MTA has remained adamantly opposed to chatting in transit.
"The position is customer comfort," Mr. Kalikow said."Can you imagine 50, 60, or 70 people having a phone conversation?"
Cell phone service providers bidding on the project say wiring stations and not tunnels is cost-ineffective. Phone conversations on subway platforms are too short to bring in any real money.
Ha! Phone conversations on subway platforms could be plenty long, given how long some waits for trains are (for instance, cell providers could make a pretty penny on calls at most outer borough platforms). But it's true - most people hate the idea of people talking on a subway train (but talking on your cell while riding a bus is fine?). Right now, the Second Avenue Subway has more gas in the tank that cell phone service on platforms.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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