Just in time for the busy holiday season, Freedom Mobile customers who ride the TTC are now able to use their cellular LTE services to talk, text, tweet and post at all 75 TTC subway stations, including the Line 1 extension's six brand new stations and nine kilometres of underground tunnel when it opens to the public this Sunday, December 17. This adds to the cellular connectivity already available in the downtown loop of the TTC's Line 1 between Bloor/Yonge station and King station.

Increased connectivity will help power Toronto's innovation and benefit TTC passengers, businesses and the community at large. While the world-class infrastructure is in place for all cellular carriers to join whenever they choose to, Freedom Mobile was the first to do so in 2015 and continues to be the only mobile carrier to provide wireless service in Toronto subway stations.

BAI remains on schedule to complete the installation of cellular connectivity in the downtown loop tunnel from Bloor/Yonge all the way down to Union and back up to St. George station by the end of summer 2018.

QUOTES

"Today marks another exciting milestone with the expansion of cellular service across the new Line 1 extension and free Wi-Fi and cell connectivity available at all 75 stations. This step demonstrates our ongoing commitment to enhancing the customer experience and modernizing the entire system. We look forward to continuing to partner with BAI and Freedom Mobile to keep our customers connected during their commute."

- Josh Colle, Chair, Toronto Transit Commission

"TTC riders have spoken loudly and clearly that in a world-class city like Toronto, they expect to have quality cellular service wherever they are – whether above ground or in the bustling subway platforms where they spend so much time. I'm proud of the work BAI Canada has done to bring its global experience in digital connectivity to build best-in-class infrastructure in Toronto's subway system."

- Ken Ranger, Chief Executive Officer, BAI Canada

"If you are a commuter using the subway, Freedom Mobile is the obvious choice if you value connectivity. Our customers are the first to have cellular service at all TTC subway stations to stay connected with friends, families and colleagues throughout their day. With all subway stations now online, we continue to work with the TTC and BAI Canada to expand our in-tunnel cellular network in 2018 to ensure our customers stay connected while in transit."

- Paul McAleese, Chief Operating Officer, Freedom Mobile

QUICK FACTS:

BAI Canada has designed the cellular infrastructure system to accommodate any and all carriers' spectrum and associated power needs.

has designed the cellular infrastructure system to accommodate any and all carriers' spectrum and associated power needs. York Mills , Kipling, Islington and Kennedy stations were the final existing stations necessary for BAI Canada to complete the expansion of cellular connectivity, as well as the six new stations and tunnel segments along the Toronto-York Spadina Subway extension.

, Kipling, Islington and Kennedy stations were the final existing stations necessary for BAI Canada to complete the expansion of cellular connectivity, as well as the six new stations and tunnel segments along the Toronto-York Spadina Subway extension. BAI Canada crews worked more than 50,000 hours cumulatively in the past year on installation of connectivity infrastructure and deployed more than 50 kilometres of fibre optic cabling in 2017 alone.

crews worked more than 50,000 hours cumulatively in the past year on installation of connectivity infrastructure and deployed more than 50 kilometres of fibre optic cabling in 2017 alone. A recent Leger survey found that 9 out of every 10 Torontonians expect cellular service in all parts of the city, and 74 per cent said they believe cell service in the subway system will add value to the Toronto economy based on increased productivity.

For more details on Freedom Mobile, please visit https://www.freedommobile.ca/subway.

For more details on how BAI Canada is connecting Toronto transit users, please visit http://baicanada.com/.

For photos of the BAI Canada cellular technology installation and infrastructure, please click here.

SOURCE Freedom Mobile

For further information: For TTC media inquiries, please contact: Kristin Lillyman, Office of the TTC Chair, (416) 392-9022, [email protected]; For BAI Canada media inquiries, please contact: Zak Paget, FleishmanHillard Toronto, (647) 625-2991, [email protected]; For Freedom Mobile media inquiries, please contact: Chethan Lakshman, (403) 930-8448, [email protected]