Montréal Transit Developments

[SFO-YYZ]

All stations and tunnels are now have 4G/LTE coverage

Montreal’s metro now fully connected to the mobile network

Montreal, December 3, 2020 – The Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) and its partners—TELUS (as project integrator), Bell, Rogers and Vidéotron—are proud to announce that the deployment of the 4G LTE mobile network is now complete in all 68 stations and 71 km of tunnels that make up...

www.stm.info

Looking at you TTC

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Looking at you TTC

It's all up to the big three the infrastructure is in place they just have to sign on. They are the ones holding back because they each want to run their own networks and have access to them when they want to.

 

[p_xavier]

It's all up to the big three the infrastructure is in place they just have to sign on. They are the ones holding back because they each want to run their own networks and have access to them when they want to.

Which is suprising since in Montréal it's Telus that took the project on their shoulders and had their big telco competitors agree with it. Heck you can see the VPs on the pic.

 

[robmausser]

Which is suprising since in Montréal it's Telus that took the project on their shoulders and had their big telco competitors agree with it. Heck you can see the VPs on the pic.

Yes, awarding the contract in Toronto to BAI communications was a mistake. They are the reason we don't have LTE or wifi in the tunnels

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Yes, awarding the contract in Toronto to BAI communications was a mistake. They are the reason we don't have LTE or wifi in the tunnels

I don't really see how it was a mistake. I think Bell, Telus and Rogers made the mistake when they each said that they wanted to build their own networks in the tunnel and to have access to it when they wanted to.

 

[rbt]

They are the reason we don't have LTE or wifi in the tunnels

Leaky feeder for WIFI doesn't work well for distances over 50m. You would want to install hotspots on the train and a microwave network in the tunnels.

That said, I'm pretty sure I've had LTE in the tunnels for a few years (Bloor to Union) though it's rare I do more than lookup GO delays/schedules.

 

[robmausser]

Leaky feeder for WIFI doesn't work well for distances over 50m. You would want to install hotspots on the train and a microwave network in the tunnels.

That said, I'm pretty sure I've had LTE in the tunnels for a few years (Bloor to Union) though it's rare I do more than lookup GO delays/schedules.

Then don't promise something that is too difficult to do

WiFi coming to TTC subway tunnels next year

TTC riders have started to get accustomed to WiFi in subway stations. While it might be annoying to take the time to log in on station platforms, at …

www.blogto.com

 

[rbt]

Then don't promise something that is too difficult to do

WiFi coming to TTC subway tunnels next year

TTC riders have started to get accustomed to WiFi in subway stations. While it might be annoying to take the time to log in on station platforms, at …

www.blogto.com

Interesting. See update at the bottom of that article: BlogTo promised WIFI in the tunnels, not BAI or TTC.

 

[asher__jo]

I don't really see how it was a mistake. I think Bell, Telus and Rogers made the mistake when they each said that they wanted to build their own networks in the tunnel and to have access to it when they wanted to.

It was a mistake to assume they'd play along with using a third party to run their network underground.

 

[nfitz]

It was a mistake to assume they'd play along with using a third party to run their network underground.

Perhaps - but they were the highest bidder, so what are you to do.

How much did STM get for putting in cell phone service? Does wifi work as well?

Really, if they just completed the job, and expanded the wifi to the tunnels and cars, I couldn't care less if none of the big boys signed on.

 

[NoahB]

Perhaps - but they were the highest bidder, so what are you to do.

How much did STM get for putting in cell phone service? Does wifi work as well?

Really, if they just completed the job, and expanded the wifi to the tunnels and cars, I couldn't care less if none of the big boys signed on.

I'm not sure about the wifi, but cell service in the tunnels is as good as outside the Metro. I never noticed any difference between being underground or overground when I used to visit Montreal.

Wifi on in the TTC stations, even when available doesn't work for my 30-50 percent of the time. I usually get sign on issues on my phone.

 

[superelevation]

Looks similar to these CAF coaches from Luxembourg!

The ones from Tours are even closer:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstom_Citadis#/media/File:Tram_tours_5.jpg

 

[SFO-YYZ]

I'm not sure about the wifi, but cell service in the tunnels is as good as outside the Metro. I never noticed any difference between being underground or overground when I used to visit Montreal.

Wifi on in the TTC stations, even when available doesn't work for my 30-50 percent of the time. I usually get sign on issues on my phone.

Idk why would one bother to connect to a Wifi network everytime one enters a metro when nearly everyone has ample LTE data coverage. And to use wifi, one has to turn on the wifi and connect to the right network (2-3 clicks), agree to some sort of user agreement (10 secs wait time and another click), then get connected - altogether a multi-step process. It may be fine for the one off tourists who don't have local data coverage, but not ideal for daily usage and altogether a bad user experience. Especially with the upcoming 5G network upgrades, cell data coverage should become universal and we should expect data rates to decrease across the board for end users. It's 2020 not 1995, there should be no excuses.

On the plus side, not having data coverage on TTC always made for a tranquil (screen-less) ride which allows many to disconnect and read a book or do something other than browsing their phones. I remember many of my colleagues using "no data on TTC subway" as an excuse to not get on a conference call or answering their emails promptly

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Idk why would one bother to connect to a Wifi network everytime one enters a metro when nearly everyone has ample LTE data coverage. And to use wifi, one has to turn on the wifi and connect to the right network (2-3 clicks), agree to some sort of user agreement (10 secs wait time and another click), then get connected - altogether a multi-step process. It may be fine for the one off tourists who don't have local data coverage, but not ideal for daily usage and altogether a bad user experience. Especially with the upcoming 5G network upgrades, cell data coverage should become universal and we should expect data rates to decrease across the board for end users. It's 2020 not 1995, there should be no excuses.

On the plus side, not having data coverage on TTC always made for a tranquil (screen-less) ride which allows many to disconnect and read a book or do something other than browsing their phones. I remember many of my colleagues using "no data on TTC subway" as an excuse to not get on a conference call or answering their emails promptly

Wish that WiFi connection is "remembered", so one doesn't need to go through all that steps needed to finally connect.

 

[robmausser]

Wish that WiFi connection is "remembered", so one doesn't need to go through all that steps needed to finally connect.

Yes, id even be willing to create a login to do so.