New York City

Subway WiFi provider to expand services

Transit Wireless announced Tuesday that it is launching a digital media business and will be offering new products and services to public places and transit systems, including the New York City subway.

Better cell service in the subway may not be that far away.

Better cell service in the subway may not be that far away. Shutterstock

It wasn’t that long ago that connectivity for subway riders was just a fantasy. That changed in 2016, when 5,000 WiFi hotspots and 4,000 cellular antennas were installed in the New York City subway, giving the more than 5 million riders who use the subway each day a reliable wireless connection. Now, the company that built out that network, Transit Wireless, which was formed in response to a request from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to create wireless connectivity for the city’s subway system, is ready for the next step.

In a press release on Tuesday, Transit Wireless announced that it is launching a digital media business and will be offering new products and services to public places and transit systems, including the New York City subway.

Transit Wireless did not immediately respond to questions about what kinds of new products and services it could bring to the subway, but the buildout of 5G connectivity in major cities, including New York, could play a role in what those might be. On Monday, the company also announced the hiring of new executives, including Craig Collins, who will oversee the launch of 5G and small cell deployment, and an expansion into more smart city technologies.

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