Still no cell phone service in subways

With the recent terrorism threats against New York subways being revealed and the deadly subway and commuter train bombings in cities like Moscow, Madrid, London and most recently Bombay, avenues of rail transportation have obviously climbed to the top of the terrorist target list.
However, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) continues to move slowly on the issue of installing cell phone service on its subway platforms. Representative Anthony Weiner announced the &#8220Subway Cell Access Act,” on March 9, 2003, that required all wireless carriers to extend service to every underground railway platform in the country, by 2005.
Three years later and one year after the MTA began the bidding process for proposals there is still no service and the MTA has even postponed the deadline for proposal submissions three separate times.
&#8220Tragedies like the London subway attack and the latest revelations about a planned 2003 New York subway plot provide clear examples of why we need better communications networks in our subways,” Weiner said. &#8220Whenever there is a health emergency or people feel they are at risk, they should be able to reach first responders via 9-1-1, regardless of whether they are at work, in their home, or standing on an underground subway platform,” Weiner added.
MTA spokesperson Timothy O'Brien asks, &#8220Are the millions of New Yorkers who rely on the subway system really in that much danger? Does cell phone service in the subway's platforms really qualify as a &#8220vital lifeline?” &#8220There are plenty of means of communication in the subways already,” O'Brien countered.
During the largest blackout in history, in August 2003, when New York, New Jersey and some parts of Canada lost electrical power, the MTA evacuated over 400,000 people in the subways, without any injuries, according to O'Brien.
&#8220There is no overriding danger,” O'Brien said. However, despite the delays, O'Brien says, &#8220[The MTA] is not hesitating on making a decision. We're still actively negotiating and moving forward.”