Cell service coming to NYC subways

New York this week started seeking bids to extend cellular phone service to its subway system, the New York Times reported Thursday.

The Times reported that all four national cellular operators -- Cingular, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile -- are among the vendors considering submitting bids for a system that will provide service in 277 or New York's 468 subway stations. The bids are due October 12.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) was released earlier in the week, on the same day that the city announced it had awarded a $212 million contract for an electronic surveillance system in subway stations. In the case of the cellular system, the aim of the city's Metropolitan Transportation Authority is to not have any city investment in the cellular network for subways. However, the winning vendor or group of vendors would have an exclusive 10-year license, the Times reported.

The RFP indicates that subscribers of all wireless carriers should be able to use the system, the newspaper reported.

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