How NYC’s subway got wireless in the tunnels

Re:How NYC’s subway got wireless in the tunnels by epc on Sunday February 18, 2018 @03:00PM (#16408041)

In the 1990s you could carry on a conversation on the "analog" cell phones (AMPS vs CDMA/TDMA) in the cut & cover lines in NYC (lines which are 12-20 feet below street surface). The signal would fade but wouldn't drop.

The cutover to digital signals circa 2001-2002 meant calls would drop as soon as the signal faded.

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Re:How NYC’s subway got wireless in the tunnels by acjohnson55 on Sunday February 18, 2018 @04:07PM (#16408661)

I pretty regularly get transient LTE service in Lower Manhattan's tunnels. Although, certainly not consistently enough to make calls.

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Re:How NYC’s subway got wireless in the tunnels by epc on Sunday February 18, 2018 @04:12PM (#16408696)

Yeah…I don't know if it's the depth or type of construction but I can get enough signal to check mail and occasionally twitter on the R and 1/2/3/4/5 but not the A/C/E.

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Re:How NYC’s subway got wireless in the tunnels by dazc on Sunday February 18, 2018 @03:07PM (#16408101)

'The cutover to digital signals circa 2001-2002 meant calls would drop as soon as the signal faded.'

We get that even overground in the UK.

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