1 of 1- RadioActive
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Feds. Force Rogers To Open Subway Cell Phone Access By Oct. 3rd
It's a battle that's been going on for a while and a service that's been ignored far too long.
Now the latest twist - the federal government is ordering a reluctant Rogers to open cell phone service in the subway to all major telcos. Ever since Rogers acquired the one company that owned those rights, there's been a battle between Big Red and Bell and Telus for how to gain access.
The negotiations were predictably going nowhere and at a snail's pace, leading the feds to force the issue. All providers are expected to have service in the tunnels no later than October. 3rd.
TTC cell service must be available to all subway riders within weeks, feds say
- Radiowiz
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Re: Feds. Force Rogers To Open Subway Cell Phone Access By Oct. 3rd
If Rogers didn't buy Shaw would this still be happening? Freedom had the monopoly on TTC subway cell service for, like, forever...
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- RadioAaron
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Re: Feds. Force Rogers To Open Subway Cell Phone Access By Oct. 3rd
Radiowiz wrote:
If Rogers didn't buy Shaw would this still be happening? Freedom had the monopoly on TTC subway cell service for, like, forever...
Rogers buying BAI right around the same time as Shaw is surely not a coincidence.
- RadioActive
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Re: Feds. Force Rogers To Open Subway Cell Phone Access By Oct. 3rd
Rogers has been typically insufferable in accepting the order, while pretending they support being forced to play nice with their two biggest rivals.
Check out a spokesperson's statements about how the other big phone companies were "whining."
Nice.
“This approach reflects what we’ve been proposing all along — to bring 5G services to all riders as quickly as possible. Bell and Telus have been dragging their heels and the federal government is now forcing them to work with us in earnest to make connectivity possible for all riders. This is good news for Toronto transit riders. While we’ve been busy building, they’ve been busy whining.”
A pox on all their houses.
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Thread Starter- RadioActive
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Re: Feds. Force Rogers To Open Subway Cell Phone Access By Oct. 3rd
I'm pretty sure most transit users welcome the news, but it wasn't always that way.
Back around the early 1990s, the newsroom I worked at did an admittedly unscientific online survey via our website about cell service on the subway. (Yep, it was an issue even way back then.)
The one thing I remember vividly about all the emails we got on the feedback we got was this: most people were solidly against it.
The tone of most of the responses we received went something like this: "No. People spend enough time on their phones. I don't want to have to listen to someone yelling at the top of their lungs in the middle of a noisy tunnel about how bad their date was, how much they hate their job, arguing with their spouse, or yammering on about where they're going for dinner that night. It would drive me crazy and the noise would be horrendous. I like the relative peace and quiet in those tunnels. Please don't take it away."
My how times have changed.
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Thread Starter- RadioAaron
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Re: Feds. Force Rogers To Open Subway Cell Phone Access By Oct. 3rd
Indeed at a time when a phone was just a phone that's exactly what would have happened. I'm looking forward to being able to fire off a work email or two or play the day's Wordle.
- RadioActive
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Re: Feds. Force Rogers To Open Subway Cell Phone Access By Oct. 3rd
I agree. Back then, texting and other phone services we take for granted today weren't really there. It was mostly email or voice and not much else. Now most people - especially a younger crowd - tend to text and not talk. So maybe those people who wanted their peace and quiet will get their wish.
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