AT&amp;T to provide underground service on Chicago subways

Good news for those of you who live with me here in Chicago and also don't have a car: while AT&T has gotten on the bad side of a lot of iPhone owners lately (seriously, that MMS delay is lame), they're at least doing one good deed for us Chicagoans. They've just announced that they're bringing cellphone service to our underground transit systems.

Many's the time I've stood underground out on the Logan Square Blue Line station heading out to O'Hare, bummed that my iPhone isn't pulling up my flight times for one last check, but no more -- with a contract set up this week, AT&T says they'll have service up and running underground by the end of the year. And the deal will generate $3.1 million for the CTA, which could probably use the money.

That may do little to soothe the pain of all AT&T has done to us iPhone users. But being able to use my iPhone underground while waiting for the train will definitely be nice.

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Source: http://weblogs.redeyechicago.com/iphoneblog/2009/06/att-to-p…

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Good news for those of you who live with me here in Chicago and also don't have a car: while AT&T has gotten on the bad side of a lot...

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r.glotzer

i,m a former resident and i live in boston, and u can keep it,i still love my city by the lake, minus the corruption and Ald.Moore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

June 14 2009 at 3:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

James F

Gonna be a long time. How long has NYC been waiting for the promised service in subway stations? Years

June 12 2009 at 12:10 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dale

Great. Maybe they can get it working in my house, too. I'm in Lakeview, and while slap bang in the middle of a "Best coverage" area, I can rarely sustain a signal.

June 11 2009 at 9:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

milkmage

great. coverage underground.

WHAT ABOUT THE DEAD SPOT IN MY KITCHEN?

June 11 2009 at 5:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jbrown510

You think AT&T will charge extra for tethering in the subway? I'm thinking 3G with other phones $20, but iPhone $30. Tethering with other phones same price, but with iPhone $70. Tethering in the subway with iPhone $120.

I love my iPhone... could care less about MMS... could only care a little about tethering... I'm just sick of AT&T's contract BS and AT&T's pricing being a huge premium over every other carrier in every other country.

Free the iPhone... any carrier... any time...

June 11 2009 at 4:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

KosherSalt

BFD

Every network does upgrades all the time.

June 11 2009 at 4:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Kyle

About freaking time. I don't take the train downtown as much as I used to but this has always been one of the bummers when having a long trip underground. Now if AT&T could have some decent 3G service and less dropped calls in the city of Chicago then I would be a happy camper. I mean how is it that I can see a cell tower across the street but yet my phone will still drop the call.

June 11 2009 at 2:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Bryan T

*

* = Coming late 2014.

June 11 2009 at 1:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

ryan.marsh

Maybe they should get above ground working first....

June 11 2009 at 1:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Ian

Why can't they focus on getting the network running above ground in SF first?

June 11 2009 at 1:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply