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Sep. 21, 2007

Bidding and proposals started in June of 2004 and now the NY-MTA (New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority) says that Transit Wireless has won the final bid to wire all 277 underground subway stations for mobile phone use.

However, the MTA was quick to point out that wireless service will not extend into the tunnels.

Transit Wireless, a joint venture involving Nab Construction, Q-Wireless, Dianet Communications and Transit Technologies, has agreed to pay the MTA a minimum of almost $49 million until 2017.

The wireless company also agreed to absorb the full cost of building the wireless network, which is estimated to be between $155 and $198 million.

Under Transit's proposal, other wireless carriers will pay Transit Wireless to carry their signals over the network once it is completed.

Wireless service will start with 6 stations in Manhattan. Transit Wireless expects to finish wiring those stations within two years.

If all goes as expected, the company will have 4 more years to wire the remainder of the MTA's subway stations.

The mobile service carriers, some of whom filed a competing bid with the MTA, have yet to comment about the agreement, which will most likely be finalized around Sep. 27, 2007.

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Source: Wireless Week