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BART Outfitted With Wireless
wyldeone writes "The San Fransico Chronicle reports that the BART subway system has been completely outfitted with cells to allow cellphone usage everywhere on the line. The network has been paid for entirely by Nextel, who leased out the lines to the other carriers." From the article: "Rae said BART and the wireless companies know some riders will try to make calls over the din as BART roars and screeches through tunnels. But most of the business, he said, will be from people using wireless devices to read and send e-mail or browse the Internet. 'You could use your Blackberry to take care of all your e-mail on your way to work,' he said. 'But the trains are really too noisy (underground) to have an intelligent conversation.'"
I think the AC means "cellular" service, not cingular. The service is provided by Verizon.
Like the one: "Yes, we're all VERY interested in what you're having for dinner."
After rtfa, I've concluded that this submission is grossly mis-titled.
Yeah, it's nice that you'll be able to use a blackberry or mobile phone to make calls, etc., while riding a BART train, but who calls that "wireless"?
The term "wireless" is usually related to 802.11, wifi, or "wireless networking", not the ability to make cell phone calls. But I guess that's incorrect, and we can now state that most of the planet is already "outfitted with wireless".
Easier said than done. FWIW, BART spends a lot of money of noise & vibration mitigation - in fact, some of the excessive noise in tunnel sections may be caused by the ground-borne vibration mitigation measures (floating slab track) that is used in several locations on the BART system.
BART is a decent system in terms of acessibility, diversity in locations, and cost, but BART can be a scary place depending on who you are and what you're carrying.
If I'm by myself, not carrying anything gadgety or money and I'm not dressed for the city, it's not so bad (24 year old white male). When I have to carry a laptop or dress up for the city, especially late at night, it can be a little nerve wracking depending on the people in the car. I usually try to get on in the car behind the driver and sit in the rear facing seats at the front if I really have anything of value. The thought crossed my mind in the past of carrying a taser or similar defense weapon, but despite my and other peoples' fears, BART isn't that bad of a place if you're careful, stuff doesn't happen -that- often.
I think the funniest thing that ever happened to me on bart was some pothead on the platform was trying to sell me weed, but he must have been completely baked because he first asked "hey man, wanna buy some pot?", and when I said no, he continued "then wanna buy some weed?", again I said no and he continued "how about some mary jane?".. he sort of faded out and walked off at that point. It was sort of funny in retrospect.
I haven't been in the Bay Area since about 1992, but as far as I can recall, the BART was incredibly quiet, I suppose, in comparison to the NY subway system. It took a little research, but back when the system was new, the interior noise level was 60 db. Later, changes were made to reduce the noise levels to 40-45 db (better sound insulation, rubberized wheels on the cars, etc). It doesn't seem any more noisy than talking on a phone on a busy city street.
I guess it depends on the model of phone, and whether you're using a hands free microphone.
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
BART, let me debunk you. Bay area -Well it doesn't get to San Jose, or Milipedas, It Bairly touches San Francisco. Rapid-Sure if you call 30 minut wait for the train to Oakland Rapid. It frequenly takes it 45 minuts during commute hours to go from the powel street station to the next stop. Hardly rapid. Transit System. Well that's debatable. For me anyway that implies some sort of interconectivity. It doesn't have that. You can't go from muni to bart, or bart to muni- as far as I know it doesn't let you transfer to any other part of the system at all. Then their is the cost of tickets-high is a understatement, an average of 3 dollers per a stop. No bart needs to focus more on basics before attempting to handle even terrible sub-terannian cell phone coverage. Any Urban or City Manager that says other wise has their head up their but.