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Hold the phone, save your texts, and keep those tweets in draft — a much-discussed plan to extend cellular service into Toronto’s underground subway system may not proceed as planned if Canada’s big three mobile carriers don’t get on board before the end of next year.

Neither Rogers Communications Inc., BCE Inc. or Telus Corp. are currently in discussions with the third-party contractor chosen by the Toronto Transit Commission to install the infrastructure required to extend mobile voice and data service underground.

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BAI Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Broadcast Australia Pty Ltd., has 12 months from the time its agreement with the TTC was signed last year to sign contracts with “sufficient [cellular] carriers” – meaning enough participating carriers to provide service for at least 60% of cellular subscribers in Toronto.

If BAI is unable to bring enough carriers on board by Dec. 5, it will be given another 12-month extension – until Dec. 5, 2014 – during which it may also investigate transfer of the contract to another interested party.