Part of four-carrier plan to connect all 279 Metropolitan Transit Authority underground stations

Verizon Wireless will continue to expand its underground network in phases four and five of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s plan to bring cellular and Wi-Fi into New York City’s subways.

Verizon Wireless and competitors T-Mobile US, AT&T Mobility and Sprint all have agreements in place to deploy infrastructure related to Transit Wireless’ long-term subway connectivity plan.

Transit Wireless CEO William Bayne Jr. called Verizon an “essential partner. By extending 3G and LTE coverage to its customers while they are in the MTA’s underground stations, Verizon Wireless is helping millions of New Yorkers and visitors gain connectivity for voice, data and E911 services during their commute.”

Kevin Zavaglia, New York-New Jersey region president for Verizon, said New Yorkers have embraced the mobile lifestyle making wireless service essential to their daily activities.

“Our work with Transit Wireless is just one example of our continued efforts to provide a best-in-class network experience for these customers wherever they live, work and play – in the busy streets of New York City or underground in the subways,” Zavaglia said.

The project spans seven total phases. Phase 1, beginning in April 2013, brought LTE to 30 stations in Midtown and the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Phase 2 kicked off in October 2014, and covered all of Queens along with several Manhattan stations. Phase 4 started in March, and will extend coverage to 37 Manhattan and Bronx stations. Phase 5, slated to begin later this year, primarily focuses on downtown Manhattan including hubs at West 4th Street, Canal Street, Broadway-Lafayette/Bleecker streets and Chambers Street/Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.

All 279 MTA underground stations are projected to be covered by Wi-Fi and cellular by 2017.

Transit Wireless was formed in 2010 specifically to provide wireless and Wi-Fi for the New York subway stations, which host 6 million daily riders in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

The RCR Wireless News team recently had the opportunity to take a tour of Verizon Wireless infrastructure deployed around New York City including rooftop antennas and a look inside the basement of the Empire State Building.

We also took a look at some of the equipment provided by Solid Technologies that brings connectivity into the subway system.