If you are a New Yorker, there’s a cheerful news for you. By the time 2016 comes to an end, all the 277 subway stations in New York City will get Wi-Fi connectivity. Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, himself announced the news.
New York’s subway system is about to get a whole new technology makeover. Apart from the Wi-Fi access, another system that is being worked upon will allow people to buy tokens using mobile payment services like Android Pay, Samsung Pay, or Apple Pay. It is expected that this system will be ready by 2018.
Apart from that, MTA also plans to add USB ports to subway trains, buses, and stations so that New Yorkers can charge their mobile devices on their way. A USB port will be added this year to 200 subway cars, while the feature will reach another 400 cars in 2017. USB ports and Wi-Fi will be offered by 1500 buses by 2-18.
Talking about the present situation, 140 subway stations in New York offer Wi-Fi and Cellular signals. All the 277 stations in the city will get cellular service by early 2017, while Wi-Fi connectivity will reach all the stations by the end of this year.
The New York Governor Andrew Cuomo commented on the subject-
“The MTA is absolutely vital to the daily functioning of New York City, but for too long it has failed to meet the region’s growing size and strength. This is about doing more than just repair and maintain – this is thinking bigger and better and building the 21st century transit system New Yorkers deserve. We are modernizing the MTA like never before and improving it for years to come.”