No Signal? Not for Long — Cell Service Expanding In Brooklyn Subway Tunnels

BROOKLYN, NY — Good news for Brooklyn subway riders: Soon, more of you won’t have to wait until the next station to get cell service, the MTA recently announced.

At Wednesday’s MTA committee meeting, officials confirmed that the long-promised expansion of underground cell service is finally moving forward—starting with the G train.

As early as this fall, riders on the northern stretch of the G line, from Court Square to Hoyt-Schermerhorn, could have access to 5G service. It’s part of the MTA’s broader goal to bring connectivity to its entire 418-mile subway system, one tunnel at a time.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said another key focus is the East River Tunnel, which carries the 4 and 5 lines between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Connectivity there is expected by the end of the year.

Jessica Mathew, the MTA’s senior vice president of capital strategy, noted that the project is coming at no cost to taxpayers. It's being delivered through a public-private partnership with Boldyn Networks, the same company that provided full cell coverage on the Grand Central–Times Square shuttle last September.

Under the agreement, Boldyn will fund the entire $600 million expansion and retain any revenue generated by the wireless network, officials said.

Wednesday’s announcement marks a major step in the MTA’s effort to keep riders connected throughout the system’s underground network.

The MTA first unveiled the initiative in 2022, aiming to bring full underground cell coverage to all subway tunnels by 2032. So far, only a few sections are online, including the 42nd Street Shuttle and the Canarsie Tunnel, which serves the L train.

At last week’s meeting, Mathew did not confirm whether the project is still on track to meet the 10-year deadline but said work will begin in earnest as the MTA’s capital plan ramps up.