R
emember coming back from that party out in Allston, trying to meet up with people, but lose cell phone reception as you ride underground, passing Symphony inbound? Or attempting to doublecheck that flight home for the holidays on the Blue Line, but as you enter the Government Center stop, the bars at the top of your phone’s screen dwindle down to none as you reach the train platform? Those days will soon be over as cell phone calls, texts, and web surfing will all be possible on the Blue Line and most underground segments of the Green Line, starting with Science Park through Government Center. In other words, for the obsessive email checker or Facebook status updater, worry no longer, wherever you may be. Back in 2007, Boston was one of the first cities to develop a wireless telephone service at four downtown stops including Park Street, Government Center, Downtown Crossing, and State Street before expanding reception to other stops along the subway system. As demand for cell phone capabilities through the subway system increased, it became obvious to the city of Boston that a project of a larger scale was in order. Currently, the Orange Line is the only line of the T to provide complete coverage, depending on the cell phone provider. You’ll have to wait on Symphony and Prudential: those won’t have coverage by the end of this year, but soon afterward. Because of the special tunneling and depth of some subway stops, extra time is spent making this reception improvement. The project is taking on a few stops at a time, not necessarily in order from one end of the line to another. By the end of 2012, the entire Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system will carry reception, so no matter where you’re coming from or traveling to next, you won’t have to stash your iPhone or Blackberry away for the ride.
The MBTA has partnered with InSite Wireless Group to make this project a success. They did not disclose the exact cost of this project, but is expected to cost millions of dollars over the next year and a half. “We provide the infrastructure,” said Joe Mullin, Vice President of InSite’s Engineering and Wireless.
The goal of InSite Wireless is to “design, build, operate, and maintain wireless infrastructure for complex indoor environments.” InSite Wireless serves as what is called the neutral host system. It provides the wireless capability for all carriers, and as these companies take interest in providing their costumers with this extra
Changes in Cell Phone Coverage 51
Atlas magazine
by cassie schauble photography by laura franzini