On any given day, Metro might be on fire or undergoing some crazy SafeTrack shutdown, but on the bright side, apparently we’re making actual strides toward connectivity in the underground.
The nation’s four big wireless carriers, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, officially launched underground wireless service in one section of the D.C. metro on Nov. 30. That means you can now use your phone in the approximately 1.1 miles of tunnel between Potomac Avenue and the Stadium Armory (that’s the orange, blue and silver lines).
According to a statement, “Future announcements will be issued once other significant tunnel segments are brought into commercial wireless service as is expected in 2017.”
“Riders have told us they want the ability to maintain wireless communication at all times while riding Metro, and this project is responsive to their needs,” WMATA General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a statement. “I am pleased to see the tunnel wiring project move forward under the plan I announced earlier this year.”
It remains to be seen, though, what effect (if any!) in-tunnel phone service will have on commuter’s impressions of the beleaguered WMATA system.
Before you go...
Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.
3 ways to support our work:- Contribute to the Journalism Fund. Charitable giving ensures our information remains free and accessible for residents to discover workforce programs and entrepreneurship pathways. This includes philanthropic grants and individual tax-deductible donations from readers like you.
- Use our Preferred Partners. Our directory of vetted providers offers high-quality recommendations for services our readers need, and each referral supports our journalism.
- Use our services. If you need entrepreneurs and tech leaders to buy your services, are seeking technologists to hire or want more professionals to know about your ecosystem, Technical.ly has the biggest and most engaged audience in the mid-Atlantic. We help companies tell their stories and answer big questions to meet and serve our community.
Join our growing Slack community
Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!