When it was announced earlier this week that the long-delayed subway cell phone project was lurching forward, some of you were upset that the signal would not extend into the subway tunnels, thereby depriving you of priceless "Overheard in NY" material. But don't worry; one of the companies that won the contract, Q-Wireless, says cell phone users with vital information to impart will be able to get a signal in most subway tunnels. And it'll work for Nextel chirp phones, too! more ›

Due to a malfunction in Verizon's network, both landlines and AT&T cell phones (oh no, the iPhone!) connected to the network have reportedly been out of service. Verizon Communications Inc. says the "digital cross connect" that connects calls on the East side of Manhattan from 20th Street to 40th Street is at fault, and they hope to fix the problem this afternoon. According to the Wall Street Journal, the equipment was knocked out from this weekend's storms. more ›

AT&T has realized that the first step towards recovery is admitting it has a problem. The phone giant has confessed that its New York City iPhone service is not up to par, according to a presentation slide published on Tom's Guide noting that the company's 3G Voice Composite Quality in the New York metro area—particularly in Manhattan—is below its performance objective. more ›

Senator Charles Schumer wants Long Island Rail Road commuters to be more productive—and slams the MTA for not providing wireless technology to allow commuters to get online. Schumer, at a press conference at the Ronkonkama LIRR station, pointed out that other mass transit systems, such as ones in Texas, California and Utah, have wireless technology, and said, "Unfortunately, the Long Island Rail Road has been slow to adapt. The technology is ready and waiting and would easily be up and running by the end of the year." The senior Senator added that it would cost $1,000 per train car and that the MTA could take advantage of federal stimulus money if it acted quickly (ha!). Well, it certainly would keep riders quiet...maybe. In other wireless-MTA news, plans to put cellphone technology in the NYC subway system are still languishing. more ›

In the near future, info about available parking spots could be displayed on street signs or sent to any phone with Internet capability, if New York follows the lead of San Francisco, which is testing the program. The new technology relies on embedded-in-the-pavement wireless sensors that detect the presence of a vehicle. The Sun reports that Councilman John Liu is pushing for it, but Bloomberg is concerned that it will cause reckless competition for parking spots: "We don't want people to start speeding and running past red lights." That would be unthinkable. more ›

Grand Central Terminal will now feature its own Wi-Fi Internet access to those waiting in the Station Masters Office, one of the few places one is still allowed to sit down at the terminal without being told to get up and move along. The new wireless service will allow as many as 60 users online at a time and should prove an invaluable amenity for commuters to check or send off emails before and after getting off trains. The Station Masters Office is restricted to ticket-holding passengers. more ›

If you've been paying for Wifi at coffee shops between 42nd Street and Central Park South and between 8th and 6th Avenues, you can start saving up for more grande mocha lattes. CBS will be creating a "CBS Mobile Zone" with free wifi in midtown. In turn, CBS will lead users to an ad-supported homepage. CenterNetworks says that Citi and Salesgenie.com have already signed up. CBS, which owns CBS Outdoor, will wire billbards, MTA displays... more ›