Photo by doodledemoon

Metro recently approved a vendor that provides telecommunications technologies, InSite Wireless, which also provides wifi on trains in Boston.

"We're looking at 24 months to complete hardware installation," said Anna Chen, a Metro spokesperson, "Procurement is going to be happening in December."

Chen said that wifi would be provided, but no cell phone service. 

Riders could get around this problem by making calls through services like Skype and using messaging apps instead of texting.

The improvement will come at no taxpayer expense. Instead, Metro will receive a portion of revenues, standing to gain at least $360,000 per annum. The money will come from fees charged to individual carriers.

This model is increasingly common for subway systems.  In the Bay Area, BART earns over $2 million every year by making cell phone and wifi service available to passengers.

Metro began looking for a wifi provider in 2011, when it put out a request for proposals.

In addition to providing new revenues to Metro, wifi service will likely improve ridership. Wifi is a highly desirable amenity for passengers, especially younger ones, who might choose to take the subway instead of driving, knowing that they can check email, read, or get more work done while on the train.

Contact Axel Hellman here