06.10.09 - 6:50 p.m.
This is either good news or bad news depending on your perspective.
According to the Chicago Tribune, AT&T will become the fourth wireless service in CTA subways under a contract the transit agency's board approved Wednesday.
AT&T joins Cricket, Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular in providing service in the underground rail tunnels of the Red and Blue Lines.
The CTA estimated the AT&T contract will generate at least $3.1 million over the 10-year deal.
According to the CTA, installation and testing of AT&T’s base equipment — comprised of amplifiers, transmitters and receivers — within the subway will take place over the next several months. Following installation, service is expected to begin later this year.
Now if we could just get that MMS!
Let me know what you think on Twitter.
Thanks for calling.
6 Comments
Jason in Tampa said:
LOL... First think I thought of when I read the headline was the AT&T was getting into the mass transit business. Could you imagine riding a subway train managed by AT&T? Trains would never be on time, they would stall out, run off the tracks, and only travel at about 2 miles per hour. You could walk faster!
SCOTT'S REPLY: I would buy a new car first, Jason. :-)
Jason in Tampa said:
And now for something completely different...
I have an original, first model, 8 gig iPhone. I starting to wonder about upgrading to the new OS. I would imagine that -- at some point -- the older hardware simply won't have the power to handle the upgrades. Although I have jumped at each and every upgrade, this time I'm going to sit back and wait for the reviews.
SCOTT's REPLY: It's true - there are certain features, Jason, that won't work and eventually, certain things won't work with the first gen. If you think about it, like it or not, it's like any other device or computer - sometimes things aren't supported and you are just "forced" to upgrade.
dave said:
Wow - I'll be able to get service under State street, but not over it.
SCOTT's REPLY: That's exactly what I put in another response, Dave - imagine the best service being underground!
elenting said:
ATT is worried about providing service in the subway tunnels? How about getting the hundreds of thousands of people in the loop and at the lakefront some reliable service first? And yes, MMS too. How can they provide a service on a bunch of their other phones, but deny the same existing service to people with another able phone. Apple, please get rid of these people or give us some choice!
SCOTT'S REPLY: Well, I'm sure it's a money thing but isn't it sad to think that the best service in Chicago might be underground? Think about that for a minute.
Christopher said:
Scott? Is the video recording only on the 3gS? Because if it is, I think that is totally unfair :(. My dad won't let me purchase one this year, so hears hoping!
SCOTT's REPLY: It is just the 3GS, however, aren't you jailbroken, Chris? If so, you can video record now on the 3G.
woodpau said:
Has there been any movement on this? We are almost to the end of the year and still no service. I noticed that even T-Mobile beat ATT to the subway.
Very sad.
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