Next stop for Wi-Fi: NJ Transit stations
Monday June 10, 2013, 8:43 PM
BY KAREN RO– USE
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Last year, an NJ Transit customer asked the agency on Twitter: “When are you getting wireless on the train? I mean we spend tons of money commuting each month and can’t get free Wi-Fi?”
“We’re on the same page & currently researching Wi-Fi opps for stations & trains with a vendor – hope to have more to share soon,” NJ Transit tweeted back.
For the army of laptop-strapped, tablet-toting, smartphone-carrying customers, Wi-Fi access on NJ Transit trains and stations could soon be a reality.
NJ Transit’s board is scheduled to vote Wednesday on an agreement with Cablevision to provide high-speed Wi-Fi to riders. Although specifics were not revealed in advance of their meeting, customer demand played a role, said Nancy Snyder, spokeswoman for NJ Transit.
Cablevision will provide the equipment that will allow NJ Transit customers to “browse the Internet, send and receive email, and use other Internet-based applications at NJ Transit’s… rail stations and platforms, and ultimately onboard rail cars during their travel,” according to the meeting agenda.
Kelly McAndrew, spokeswoman for Cablevision, said the company is looking “forward to working closely with NJ Transit on completing this process.”
This would be cool for that time when I have to get that one email or thing done but also am at risk of missing the train. I can catch the train, and continue my work.