No Service on the NYC Subway? You Probably Ride the 6


Having issues getting connected on the NYC subway? New research suggests you probably ride the 6, J, Z, 4, or 5 lines.


Independent network testing firm Global Wireless Solutions on Wednesday released the results of a new subway data test, indicating that the Q line has the best overall (Wi-Fi and cellular) service on mobile phones. The B line came in at No. 2, followed by the R, N, and A.

On the other end of the spectrum, the 6 line ranked worst for Wi-Fi and cellular performance. Also ranking at the bottom of the list were the J, Z, 4, and 5.

When taking into account just cellular performance, the 6 fared a little better, ranking No. 2 behind the Q. The R, N, and D also ranked towards the top of the list while the C, 3, 5, J, and Z were found to have the worst cellular data performance.

As for Wi-Fi, the 4 was deemed "by far the worst performing," with just two out of 22 stations offering Wi-Fi. Global Wireless Solutions also found "no detectable signal" at six of the 67 sites that are supposed to have Wi-Fi.

The company used a portable benchmarking system called The Freerider on Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphones to carry out the testing in July. They covered 67 stations and platforms with service in Manhattan through 125th St., testing upload and download speeds as well as task attempts and completions from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

At this point, more than 100 subway stations in NYC are connected, Transit Wireless, which owns and operates the NYC subway wireless network, said in March. The city is aiming to extend service to all 275 stations in the subway system by 2017.

Meanwhile on the NYC tech scene, the city's Department of Transportation recently launched a new program called Drive Smart, which relies on data from participating vehicle's on-board diagnostic ports to ultimately "help drivers save money, save time, and drive more safely." The DOT last month began testing the system with 400 drivers in the city, collecting anonymized data about their speed and GPS location, the time of the day they drive, and any hard braking and turning events. The agency plans to use the data to "better understand how New York City's street network is used and how it can be improved."

Source: pcmag.com
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