If you've ever been annoyed by watching your cell phone bars disappear the second your Muni light-rail train descends underground, there's a light at the end of the Market Street tunnel. Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors approved a plan to get cell phone service underway in the Muni underground—but unlike getting your latest Snapchat updates, it's going to take a while.
According to a blog post from the SFMTA, the plan is to extend the cell network that BART already uses from Embarcadero to Civic Center stations, and add new service at Castro, Church, and West Portal as well.
The approval opens the door for contract negotiations with cellular carriers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Metro PCS; after that, construction to expand the system is expected to take 12 to 18 months, meaning it could be two years or more before cell service finally comes into play. (And no, free wi-fi isn't part of the package.)
Supervisors London Breed and Katy Tang sponsored the legislation. “Our plan not only improves the rider experience; it will actually make money for Muni," said Breed in a statement, referring to the fact that mobile carriers will likely foot the estimated $6 million installation and maintenance bill, in order to provide better service for customers.
