MONTRÉAL, July 13, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) never stops working to improve its service. With its partners TELUS (acting as the project integrator), Bell, Rogers and Vidéotron, the STM is proud to announce that fully half of the métro network is now connected to the mobile network, with the blue line's Acadie station coming online today. This brings the total number of connected stations to 34 out of 68, and the project is being rolled out on schedule.

Connected stations
Montréal's métro passengers will now have complete mobile connectivity between the Côte-Vertu and Mont-Royal stations on the orange line, between Beaudry and Lionel-Groulx on the line, between Snowdon and Acadie on the blue line, and on the entire yellow line.

Deployment efforts for the second half of 2017 will be concentrated on stations to the north of Mont-Royal and will complete the blue line up to Jean-Talon. Work will be done to connect the orange line stations north of Jean-Talon in 2018.

This makes Montréal one of the few cities in the world with an underground system plugged into an LTE mobile network, not only in the cars but also in the tunnels and stations. Passengers can use their devices to surf the web, view videos, stay connected with e-mails, and send and receive calls and text messages. Mobile connectivity in the métro will also allow people to plan their trips more effectively, as they will be able to check bus schedules and electronic information systems that the STM provides.

"The STM has made a clear commitment to improving the customer experience, and deploying the mobile network in the métro is a great example of that," states Philippe Schnobb, Chairman of the STM. "It will make the ride so much more pleasant. I want to applaud the work and the cooperation of our partners, Bell, Rogers, TELUS and Vidéotron, who have led this project so skillfully and introduced the Montréal métro into the select club of plugged-in underground transportation networks."

Objective 2020: complete connectivity
Started in 2014, the project is right on schedule, and by 2020, all of the métro's 71 km and 68 stations should be covered. Deployment of the mobile network in the métro has been made possible by an investment of close to $50 million, jointly assumed by Bell, Rogers, TELUS and Vidéotron.

Quotes from partners
"Ultra-fast networks are an essential part of Montréal's smart city strategy, and Bell is proud to share its expertise in rolling out world-class wireless services in the Montréal métro," said Martine Turcotte, Bell's Vice Chair, Québec. "Québec has the best wireless technology in the world, and STM commuters can now access its power in a fast-growing footprint throughout the underground network."

"This joint initiative is another way for us to invest in making Montréal a connected city that provides both residents and visitors with the best service possible," affirms Fadel Chbihna, Senior VP of Customer Care at Rogers. "We are proud of our work together over the past few years. That is what enabled us to achieve this key milestone. We can now focus with even more determination on bringing the remaining section on line."

"As the integrator of the project to design and implement the wireless communications network, TELUS is proud to showcase its expertise in this innovative project for our metropolis," states François Gratton, Executive Vice-President and President, Business Solutions East and TELUS Québec. "Thanks to our team's commitment and devotion, this ambitious project will be completed on time and within budget. Together with the STM and our partners, we look forward to the next step as we provide all public transit customers with an unparalleled mobile service."

"We are so proud to be able to announce today that 50% of the STM stations are connected," adds Serge Legris, Vice President and Chief Technology Planning Officer at Vidéotron. "Determined to make life easier for its clients and giving them the best possible experience, Vidéotron is happy to contribute to connecting the metro. This ambitious joint project now covers half the stations and will continue to be rolled out at a steady pace in the years to come, another indication of how important it is for the metropolis and the millions of commuters who use it every year."

Visual contents
To view and download pictures and videos of the work performed at night in the métro tunnels, visit the STM's press room : http://www.stm.info/en/press

SOURCE Société de transport de Montréal

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