For better or worse, up until now, New York City subways were famously a bastion of no service.
Descending into the pee-soaked maze would render electronic devices incommunicado in the past, as attested to by the cluster of morons blocking the stairway down during rush hour while finishing up a phone call. Every New Yorker has been both cursed and saved by the lack of service at one time or another- either by missing an important call or email while stuck on the train, or using the excuse of servicelessness and frequent delays to cover your ass when oversleeping or ignoring a persistent beep. (“Sorry I’m late! I was underground!” will become far less tenable of an alibi soon.)
Mashable reports that after three years of bickering over the deets, you will soon be able to use the series of tubes while in a series of tubes. Meta!
According to Bloomberg, after three years of stalled progress, Transit Wireless LLC — a conglomerate of wireless and construction companies that was awarded a contract to undergo this project with New York Transit — has finally found the money to move forward. Broadcast Australia has footed the bill, which will bring NYC up to speed with Singapore, Berlin and Tokyo — all of which currently have Wi-Fi in the tubes.
You’ve got a few more years of hangover-related coverage, however- it’s going to take two years to outfit six stations near Union Square with the capability, and another four years before the other stations catch up. The cost? $200m. Being able to check in as “on the L” with Foursquare eventually? Priceless.
