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Wi-Fi Service Coming To 30 Additional Subway Stations By Spring

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - More underground cell phone service was due to roll out by the end of this year, but the plan was delayed by superstorm Sandy's impact on New York City's subway system.

Transit Wireless, the company behind the subway Wi-Fi service already in operation, announced that 30 additional stations will have all work complete and will be wired for service by the end of the first quarter of 2013.

The company has already launched Wi-Fi service in six subway stations in Chelsea.

The stations due to get the underground Internet service are among some of the city's busiest hubs, including Columbus Circle, Times Square and Rockefeller Center.

Underground Wi-Fi will also expand to Queens by the end of next year, the company announced.

The stations that are already wired for Wi-Fi offer free service to AT&T and T-Mobile customers.

AT&T and T-Mobile signed 10-year contracts to provide cell and Wi-Fi service through a network being built by Transit Wireless. Transit Wireless remains in talks with other cell phone service providers to sign on to the Wi-Fi service.

A current promotion sponsored by Microsoft and Boingo is providing free Wi-Fi service to all cell phone customers through the end of the year.

Wi-Fi and cell service was first made available at some stations last September.

All underground stations are expected to be wired by 2016, but trains are not expected to have service between stations.

Do you support underground cell phone and Wi-Fi service, or think it will just add to noise pollution? Share your comments below...

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