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I don't know how the funding was spent. I only know that the shareholders (Rogers, Bell, Telus, Videotron) each funded 12.5M. It's possible there are annual service fees charged as well for day-to-day operations.
I assume it was a public tender. Isn't the information public?
 
From the TTC's standpoint, they put out a request to have someone come in and install the network. And they would have to pay for the privilege to do so at a flat rate. And so far, the winning proponent did that, and has been.

It's not within the TTC's scope to go out and canvas the various cell providers as to why may or may not want to play ball with the winning proponent. Hell, it might even be a violation of the contract to do so.

The problem you have is not with the TTC, it's with the proponent. Or maybe even with your own network provider.

Dan
And yet other cities have figured this out with those very same providers.
 
It also sounds like those other providers did this after the TTC's system went live.

Hindsight is 20/20, after all.....

Dan
The TTC definitely should’ve and probably did talk to the carrier as well, but whether by choice or incompetence they didn’t agree with the telecoms. And sure Montreal came after, but Vancouver always had reception underground before the TTC deal.
 
And yet other cities have figured this out with those very same providers.
Wind, now Freedom was trying to be their own national carrier and bought their own spectrum to use and wanted the others blocked out. They were direct competitors and the TTC being WIND only was a HUGE selling point for them that they marketed publicly noting Bell and Rogers customers would not be able to use their phones on the subway. I have no expertise on wireless spectrum, but I know back then they bought their own in government auctions which was outside of Rogers and Bell's ranges. Some phones in the past wouldn't even work on the WIND/Freedom networks.

Their network also still doesn't support 5G, and I am not certain it was even the most updated technology below that when installed, but possibly the earliest of 4G, two steps down from what is out there on the street now. I feel like the only way to add Rogers and Bell might be a a full tear out and rebuild, and Bell and Rogers would only be interested in paying for that if their customers were really clamouring for this, which I don't see at all.
 
Wind, now Freedom was trying to be their own national carrier and bought their own spectrum to use and wanted the others blocked out. They were direct competitors and the TTC being WIND only was a HUGE selling point for them that they marketed publicly noting Bell and Rogers customers would not be able to use their phones on the subway. I have no expertise on wireless spectrum, but I know back then they bought their own in government auctions which was outside of Rogers and Bell's ranges. Some phones in the past wouldn't even work on the WIND/Freedom networks.

Their network also still doesn't support 5G, and I am not certain it was even the most updated technology below that when installed, but possibly the earliest of 4G, two steps down from what is out there on the street now. I feel like the only way to add Rogers and Bell might be a a full tear out and rebuild, and Bell and Rogers would only be interested in paying for that if their customers were really clamouring for this, which I don't see at all.
That’s not what happened with TTC. It’s a third party and only Freedom signed on probably because they felt it was a good differentiator. BAI won the contract for 20 years starting in 2012. So either BAI abandons the project, the TTC pulls the plug, or the 3 carriers sign on, otherwise it’s stalemate until 2032.
 
Even if you do have Freedom, which has limitations compared to the big 3 and their flanker brands, you can only use it on a very small portion of the TTC's subway tunnels: Bloor/Yonge to St. Patrick, and the TYSSE. Much of line 1 and all of lines 2 and 4 have no service at all. In Vancouver and Montreal, 100% of the network is serviced by all the major carriers. This is not a close comparison.

The issue in 2021 isn't how the TTC and BAI went about trying to provision cell service in the tunnels, it's that the service is quite limited for a select few (Freedom Mobile subscribers), and nonexistent for the majority (everyone else).
 
Remember there is no WiFi on the Montreal Metro. Part of the agreement with BAI is to bring free WiFi to the subway. Unfortunately they haven't advanced to installing them on trains to bring free WiFI to the entire network.
 
Remember there is no WiFi on the Montreal Metro. Part of the agreement with BAI is to bring free WiFi to the subway. Unfortunately they haven't advanced to installing them on trains to bring free WiFI to the entire network.

Honestly I would rather have 4g data in the tunnels over wifi any day. I already pay for it, and its just easier/simpler. Then also calls work.

The wifi protocol was designed for personal internet, it really isnt a protocol that works well for mass use like in a subway. There are many issues with the wireless frequency it uses and how it handles multiple connections.
 
Remember there is no WiFi on the Montreal Metro. Part of the agreement with BAI is to bring free WiFi to the subway. Unfortunately they haven't advanced to installing them on trains to bring free WiFI to the entire network.
Wi-Fi on a moving vehicle like a train is basically rebroadcasting a cellular signal, since they obviously cannot connect a fibre optic cable to a moving train. So whenever they get Wi-Fi on the trains, cell service should be possible as well. Also even in countries with advanced connectivity on their trains, the wifi never works reliably, so I wouldn’t hold out hope for the TTC
 
Maybe we need a UrbanToronto "when will the line open" sweepstake 🤣
From the above link.

Metrolinx president and CEO, Phil Verster, along with Infrastructure Ontario CEO Michael Lindsay, have just released (Dec. 22, 2021) the following statement on the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit (LRT) project:

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario are pleased to have reached a claims settlement agreement with Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS) worth $325 million that resolves claims on the Eglinton Crosstown Line project. The most significant schedule delay impacts have been COVID-19 and an existing structural defect at the Eglinton Line 1 Station, as well as a number of technical claims.

As part of this settlement, CTS is prevented from making future claims on a variety of issues that are now considered fully settled. Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario continue to strongly disagree with any finding of claim entitlement for COVID-19 causes under the CTS Project Agreement and are appealing the court’s decision.

The Eglinton Crosstown Line is progressing well and is nearing completion. The rail vehicles have been delivered and are being tested on the line. The last parts of the track were installed this November and the stations work is proceeding to completion. The testing of the rail vehicles will continue into next year, along with the installation of the train signals and communications systems that enable safe train movements.
Under the settlement agreement, CTS has committed to substantially complete the project’s construction and systems scope by the end of September 2022. The in-service date for passenger revenue services may be several months later and Metrolinx and TTC will continue to track CTS’s performance during 2022 to determine when the Eglinton Crosstown Line will open for passengers.

These large transit projects are very complex with significant delivery and schedule risks that we continue to actively manage together with CTS. While challenging, the Eglinton Crosstown Line is both a hugely exciting and a very significant transit addition in the city.

The Eglinton Crosstown Line will transform transit in Toronto along its 19km route, stopping at 25 stations, connecting Toronto from the east to the west, with journeys 60% faster than before, and providing direct connections to TTC subway Line 1, 2 and 3, three GO lines and also the UP Express.

"Several" months later is defined as "more than two but not many". So maybe December, 2022?
 

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