July 12, 2005

Mobile-phone service provided by five national carriers in four high-volume New York City traffic tunnels was suspended indefinitely in the aftermath of last week's train bombings in London, despite uncertainty over whether cell phones were in fact used to detonate the deadly explosions in Great Britain.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey last Thursday abruptly pulled the plug on power to collocated transmission facilities serving the Lincoln and Holland tunnels connecting the two states, Port Authority officials said.

The two tunnels combined accommodate about 230,000 passengers daily, according to Tony Ciavolella, a Port Authority spokesman.

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"Safety and security of our customers is a top priority," said Ciavolella.

He did not say when service would resume, noting only that the Port Authority remains in contact with the Department of Homeland Security and state and local officials.

Not long thereafter, the Metropolitan Transit Authority cut off cell-phone signals to subscribers of Cingular Wireless L.L.C., Verizon Wireless, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile USA Inc. and Nextel Communications Inc. in the Midtown and Brooklyn-Battery tunnels.

A woman in MTA's media office said cell-phone service in the two tunnels was taken down Friday at the request of the New York Police Department.

"We apologize for any inconvenience to customers and hope transit authorities will resume service quickly," said Jeffrey Nelson, a Verizon Wireless spokesman.

Source: RCR News