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It was always effing terrible.

In the past I've run personal tests, turned off my mobile data and tried just using the TCONNECT along the Line 2 from Yonge station to Kipling. It's not worth it. I can't verify but it always seemed like access points were only ever installed centrally on the platform, and quality drops off precipitously the closer you get to the tunnels (though that could be signal reflection bouncing off all the concrete causing SNR problems).

Many times it seemed the greater network didn't share sessions, or it dropped user sessions far too quickly, so moving between one and say three stations over would lose your session and you'd have to "log in" again. In my own TCONNECT testing *on the train*, reconnection when arriving into the station would take forever, and it would be lost instantly the second the train moved into the tunnel. Realistically, it was only about 10 seconds of barely usable time at each station. Yes, I get being in a massive metal tube didn't help, but it's one way people attempt to use the system.

Reception always appeared non-existent or absolutely terrible within the concourse areas of stations as well. So, suffice it to say, unless you were standing at the centre of the platform waiting for a train, it almost never made sense.

I have to imagine the $17m that would've been used would also have worked to improve the on-platform reception by adding additional access points. But long enough wait times warranting the need for shoddy wifi also brings light to the increased wait times that seem to be happening along the subway system in general.

Use that money and get more vehicles on the tracks. I'm tired of seeing "8 min" on sign while standing at a downtown subway platform at 3:45pm on a weekday.
 
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Fairbank station crews have moved their fencing surrounding the open space west of the station building at some point in the last week or so.

People are enjoying the space. I counted about 12 just last night outside of those using the planter to sit and wait for a northbound bus.

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Had a chance to eavesdrop in on a conversation this morning by a city hall staffer on a conference call regarding the Eglinton and Finch LRT's (I believe the mayor was on the call too). I couldn't clearly make out everything they said, but I overheard the following:

- Both LRT's are "ready to go" from the TTC's perspective;
- Metrolinx are the ones delaying things;
- TTC will only operate the lines, but MX owns them and are responsible for maintenance;
- Despite this, TTC went out of their way to hire a sub-contractor to fix messes made by an incompetent contractor initially hired by MX;
- TTC created the training plan because MX didn't have one;
- TTC has consistently offered their consulting expertise for the duration of the projects but MX has taken an aloof approach;
- Someone on the call wanted to be publicly seen to be "taking action", so the staffer recommended the city issue a press release regarding project progress, and offered that a flyer could be sent to 10% of households but warned that would be very expensive;
- The staffer also recommended that the tone of the press release be as friendly as possible so as not to ruffle feathers even more and potentially delay things even further by way of vitriol ("let's not pull a Matlow" was said 🤣 )
- There was a mention of an ongoing lawsuit between the organizations (TTC and MX) - I couldn't make out the exact context;

The general tone of the staffer was one of frustration over how MX has mismanaged the projects (especially Eglinton) across multiple categories, and that they're being needlessly obstinate to deal with. By what I could gather, there is a lot of scrambling behind the scenes to get these lines operational. There was definitely an undertone of exasperated desperation.

Now click like - it's not often you get a post full of substance from Towered, so shower me with love!
 
Based on this drawing by the EglintonTOday project, I suspect one will be installed at some point in the future.
View attachment 597034
It will be installed whenever Astral deems to install it.

Truly one of the dumbest thing things this city has ever done is give up all control of street furniture to Bell Media (who own Astral). Hopefully their terrible performance on this contract means we go back to things being in-house so we can actually move bus shelters and garbage cans on our own schedule, because Astral was terrible. It takes weeks if not months to move a bus shelter, and the garbage cans don't work. Honestly the single worst part of David Miller's legacy (IMO) is the Astral contract.
 

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