After years of negotiations, a plan is afoot to wire New York City's subway platforms for both cellular and WiFi service, a move that may see service extend into many of the subway system's tunnels. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been looking for a contractor to perform the service for a number of years, and has finally reached an agreement with a company called Transit Wireless which would see Transit sell access to major carriers. Although many of the city's perpetually connected residents will welcome the opportunity to keep their BlackBerrys and iPads online through the commute, a fair number are likely to resent the intrusion of loud cellphone conversations into what is one of the last refuges from half of other people's conversations.

According to a report in The Daily News, Transit Wireless will have two years to set up technology testing sites in a handful of the city's 277 underground stations. Once the testing is complete, another four years will be allotted to hook up the rest.

Although the program has focused on providing service at the platforms, the structure of the subway will apparently allow the signals to propagate for a significant distance out into the tunnels. Provided the tunnels are wide enough and the stations are packed close enough together, it's possible that some commutes will enjoy uninterrupted service. Those commuters that are on lines where there's only a single tunnel for each direction may end up being digital have-nots.

The plan to provide WiFi is also news, although it undoubtedly makes sense from Transit's perspective. Once the networking equipment is in place, it's obviously in the company's interests to have as many ISPs and cellular providers pay it to support their users as possible. And it might work well for WiFi providers, who will gain access to a set of users beyond those trapped in an airport waiting area.

Always-on Internet service may have a big appeal to many New Yorkers, since the subways are filled with BlackBerrys, iPads, and Kindles, and their users can probably pass the time more enjoyably and/or productively with a network connection. It also may turn subway stops into a magnet for those who suddenly find themselves in need of some network access. Five years ago, it was possible to stroll in front of any apartment tower and find an unlocked WiFi network. Those days are long gone, and it's now a struggle to find access that doesn't involve a cellular network.

The intrusion of the cellular network onto the subway, however, is going to be a mixed bag. There will certainly be times when a quick text will be incredibly convenient, and a phone call could make a big difference for those stuck in a station by a mechanical failure. But the subways have always provided an escape from the loud, one-sided conversations that tend to dominate the city's streets (often accompanied by gesticulations that threaten fellow pedestrians), and I'm sure I'll be among those wishing for a return to peace and quiet on occasion. It's also quite possible that many of the callers will miss having an excuse to end conversations with, "Sorry, the train's about to go underground."