Using a cell phone on the Metro (Washington: 2010, trains)

[GoinDownSlow]

Hi,

I read in the Post a year or so ago that Verizon Wireless had put up the infrastructure so that people can make and receive cell phone calls in Metro stations and on the trains. Is this true? Does anyone use any other carriers, and are you able to make/receive calls while using the Metro?

I'll be using the Metro almost exclusively, and it's important to me to be in phone contact to receive ELLIN notifications and arrange for rides in the event of station closures, etc. I know there are phones in stations to call for assistance, but there's nothing like having your own cell.

So, which phones can I use on the Metro - on trains, and in the stations?

Thanks!

[juniperbleu]

I have AT&T/Cingular, which doesn't work in the stations (some it'll work close to the escalators, but that's about it), but my friends who have Verizon use their phones. Sometimes the signal's not too strong, so they can only really text messsage, but beyond that it generally works. I don't know whether any other providers work or not.

[dkf747]

Verizon runs the network. Sprint phones can roam on the Metro. I use my Sprint Blackberry on the trains all of the time.

[saganista]

Right...the exclusive deal was actually signed some years back with Bell Atlantic who did the installation. Verizon inherited it later. Sprint works, but I'm not sure how. They must have some sort of arrangement with Verizon. Metro has been working for a couple of years on plans for all-carrier cell phone support, but it will likely be more years yet before that becomes a reality. I use Verizon in the tunnels all the time, and in general, it works just fine. In general means with some exceptions, of course...

[GoinDownSlow]

All helpful information so far, thanks. I'm a Sprint customer now but I'm not tied to any particular network. Looks like Verizon's for me if I want to avoid roaming. And yeah, I wasn't expecting perfect service but it's good to hear that it's pretty reliable.

[orion1778]

Originally Posted by saganista

Right...the exclusive deal was actually signed some years back with Bell Atlantic who did the installation. Verizon inherited it later. Sprint works, but I'm not sure how.

Verizon Wireless and Sprint use CDMA technology, which allows each carrier's phones to roam on the other's network. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Alltell, on the other hand, use GSM technology, which makes them incompatible with Verizon Wireless's infrastructure.

[pcity]

Most Sprint plans have free roaming anyway, so I think both Verizon and Sprint are equally good on the Metro.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by orion1778

Verizon Wireless and Sprint use CDMA technology, which allows each carrier's phones to roam on the other's network. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Alltell, on the other hand, use GSM technology, which makes them incompatible with Verizon Wireless's infrastructure.

Thanks! That's a mystery resolved!

[mettler]

I use Alltel, and it works fine on the Metro.

[BDL83]

I read an article that all of the major carriers (AT&T, T-mobile, Sprint) will have service on the metro as of October 2009 in the 20 busiest stations and everywhere by 2010.Metro opens up wireless access to iPhones - Washington Business Journal: