Cellular Phone Service Unavailable in Washington's Subway Tunnels Due to Dispute Over Costs and Revenue

A controversy has erupted over the unavailability of cellular phone service in the underground portions of Washington's subway system, a situation that has raised safety concerns in the wake of an April 20 Metro fire near the Foggy Bottom station. The dispute between Bell Atlantic Nynex and Metro over costs and revenue has halted the installation of cellular telephone transmitters in the subway tunnels under the District's and Prince George's County's poorest neighborhoods.

Key Takeaways:

• The dispute between Bell Atlantic Nynex and Metro over costs and revenue has halted the installation of cellular telephone transmitters in the subway tunnels under the District's and Prince George's County's poorest neighborhoods.
• The installation of transmitters was supposed to be completed in 1995 under a contract between Bell Atlantic Nynex and Metro, but the work was stopped amid disagreements over the project's cost and scope.
• Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Bell Atlantic Nynex and other companies, has expressed its intention to complete the installation of the cell-phone antenna system in the sections of the Metrorail tunnels that have not been completed.
• Metro officials had requested the installation of additional transmitters to receive additional revenues from cellular phone service, but Bell Atlantic believed that the outside tracks were served by other cellular telephone antennas.
• The dispute has led to safety concerns in the wake of an April 20 Metro fire near the Foggy Bottom station, where passengers with cell phones were the first to notify the D.C. fire department of the crisis.
• Bell Atlantic agreed to pay for an extra transmitter system that would be used in the subway tunnels by police and fire departments in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia, but the dispute has halted the installation of the system.
• The D.C. Public Service Commission has announced it intends to look into the matter and D.C. Council members are outraged.

Statistics:

• $2.2 million: the amount Metro has had to spend to install the public safety antenna system.
• 20 percent: the percentage of all the money Bell Atlantic receives for calls made within the subway system that is paid to Metro as per an exclusive agreement.
• 1995: the year in which Bell Atlantic and Metro signed a contract to install cellular phone transmitters in the subway tunnels.
• 1993: the year in which Bell Atlantic contracted to install a cellular phone system in the tunnels.
• Six above-ground stations: the number of stations that required additional equipment to improve service.
• 6: the number of platform areas in above-ground areas that needed small repeater antennas.

Sources:

• Jim Gerace, Vice President of Communications for Verizon Wireless, as quoted in The Washington Times.
• Ray Feldmann, Metro Spokesman, as quoted in The Washington Times.
• Edward M. Myers, Acting Chairman of the D.C. Public Service Commission, as quoted in The Washington Times.
• A source familiar with the contract between Metro and the phone company, as quoted in The Washington Times.
• The Washington Times, April 20, 2023.