Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Internet, iPhone
AT&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.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
paulbradley1 said 12:08PM on 6-11-2009
Wonderful, now we can not MMS and not tether from underground.
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Erick said 1:55PM on 6-11-2009
lol
Rudy said 4:57PM on 6-11-2009
lol!
kc said 12:26PM on 6-11-2009
Seriously. Shut up about the MMS... You've gone two years without it... You can't wait another few months?? Secondly, Chicago can fall off into a lake.
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d said 12:34PM on 6-11-2009
I have gone 2 years w/o it when I should have had it from the beginning. I will not stop complaining until I have it, tethering, and a 32GB iPhone for less than 500 effing dollars thank you very much.
LaughingMan said 1:12PM on 6-11-2009
The MMS issue is incredibly perplexing because literally, today you can buy dozens of other phone from AT&T that have unhindered MMS support. What is different about the iPhone?
superberg said 1:16PM on 6-11-2009
Fall off into a lake?
Screw you, man, I live here. And it's actually pretty awesome, minus the corruption.
puhsitch said 5:35PM on 6-11-2009
It's the principle of the matter.
And re: Chicago, I would also like to offer a hearty "screw you."
avtmx said 12:42PM on 6-11-2009
Great! Maybe we will now get better reception in the subway than in the downtown streets!
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emil said 12:42PM on 6-11-2009
I am not at all envious; I hope it's a long time before they offer cell reception on the NYC subway. It's the last safe-haven.
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MJZimmer88 said 5:09PM on 6-11-2009
Seconded... but that email service that blackberry's get would be nice...
And i wouldn't mind not having to turn off Pandora Radio to get to work either...
Rob Conway said 10:43AM on 6-12-2009
We've had ATT service underground on the Market-Frankford Line here in Philly for over a year at least. But even when I had my iPhone i used it on T-Mobile so it didn't help me any. lol.
Reggie Moore said 6:54PM on 6-14-2009
Can imagine cell phone service on a crowded NYC subway. You couldn't hear yourself think!
FoO said 12:44PM on 6-11-2009
I think they should focus on offering functional service /above/ ground first, but that's just me. (;
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inteller said 12:45PM on 6-11-2009
underground....what an appropriate place for ATT.
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Luna Lovegood said 12:45PM on 6-11-2009
"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..."
Aww, poor baby. Here's an idea: Check before you descend into the subway station. (Wow! How do I come up with this stuff?)
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sitruc said 1:00PM on 6-11-2009
I always forget AT&T news = Apple news.
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puhsitch said 5:37PM on 6-11-2009
It's often applicable for iPhone users, no?
the.gecko.girl said 1:08PM on 6-11-2009
"the pain of all that AT&T has done to us iPhone users"? Count me out of that statement, please. While I'm a little tetchy at the lack of diversity in their rate plans, I made a choice to buy the iPhone despite no MMS because AT&T (Cingular at the time) has the best service in my area and the customer support has always been great to me. If you hate AT&T, leave. It's a lesser of all evils sort of situation that everyone has to decide for themselves.
Just stop dragging out the horse to kick in every post about AT&T.
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9600baud said 1:46PM on 6-11-2009
I disagree. I think the ATT horse should be dragged out and beaten on every possible opportunity, only then we'll receive what we deserve for the premium we pay. If no one complained why would they bother to improve?