The TTC is ending access to free Wi-Fi on its subway platforms at the end of the week, citing low usage and safety concerns about the aging network.
The TConnect service, which was first launched in 2013, will officially go offline on December 27.
According to the transit agency, less than three percent of TTC customers are logged on to the Wi-Fi network at any given time.
The TTC says usage has steadily declined in recent years with the introduction of 5G connectivity across all carriers, while the performance of networks has deteriorated.
There are concerns about security and the rising cost of operating Wi-Fi infrastructure. A TTC spokeswoman said in September the upgrades needed to make the TConnect network operational will cost about $17 million.
In a recent news release, the transit agency is considering a pilot project to offer free Wi-Fi at other stationary locations, such as bus bays. A progress report on the pilot is set to be presented to the TTC board in the new year.
The TTC is ending free public Wi-Fi by the end of this year. The technology used for the TConnect system has reached the end of its life, according to the transit commission, and there are no plans to replace it. Dale Manucdoc has a story.
As of late 2023, Rogers' wireless network is available to passengers in every subway station and some tunnels, mostly downtown centered between St. George, Bloor-Yonge and Union stations. Tunnel service is also available between Sheppard West and Vaughan Metropolitan Center stations.
In May, Rogers announced it had begun work on expanding its 5G network to the rest of the subway system. The telecom company said at the time that it would take two years to install.
The federal government's mandate is that network service must be accessible to 80 percent of the subway system by December 2025 and to customers of all other carriers by December 2026.
