All passengers, irrespective of their provider, will have cellular connectivity on Toronto’s subway system.
Today Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced new spectrum licence conditions which will require carriers to provide customers with access to cellular connectivity on the TTC no later than October 3.
Champagne made the announcement alongside Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and in the presence of several Toronto-area members of Parliament.
“Cellular connectivity on the subway is about more than just convenience. It is a critical public safety matter,” Champagne said. “TTC passengers have waited too long to access cellular services when riding the subway. That’s why today we’re taking immediate action on behalf of hundreds of thousands of frustrated passengers to require that by October 3, all subway riders have access to cellular services regardless of their mobile carrier.”
The new licence conditions are effective immediately and require all mobile carriers currently operating in Toronto to quickly begin work to expand existing network coverage in order to provide full voice, text and data services throughout the TTC subway system within ambitious and specific timeframes and provide service in all future stations and tunnels at the same time as they are made operational by the TTC.
Champagne told reporters that should mobile carriers fail to meet these conditions, he will take action as appropriate. This could include imposing monetary penalties or suspending or revoking a carrier’s spectrum licence.
“I welcome today’s announcement and invite mobile carriers to work together to quickly deliver the service that Torontonians need and deserve,” added Chow. “People should be able to reliable on these services while riding the TTC.”
Today, in Toronto’s subway system, 9-1-1 calls function where there is signal, regardless of carrier. However, some customers do not have general voice and data access to the existing system.
Network upgrades will be needed to add capacity and expand coverage throughout the Toronto subway system.
