Work on the mammoth task of setting up a system to enable STM passengers to use their smartphones and tablet computers while waiting on the platforms and riding the métro began in 2014 with the installation of mobile network infrastructures in five métro stations.
In partnership with the STM, the four participating telecommunications companies—Bell, Rogers, Videotron and the project’s integrator, Telus—reached their objective of rolling out the first segment of a wireless network by the end of 2014.
On November 28, 2014, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and its partners announced the launch of mobile service on a portion of the green line downtown between Guy-Concordia and Saint-Laurent stations.
In spring 2015, a second network segment was launched on a portion of the orange line downtown—Sherbrooke, Berri-UQAM, Champ-de-Mars and Place-d’Armes stations—equipped with cutting-edge 3G, 4G and 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) technologies.
On May 28, 2015, Bell, Rogers, Telus and Videotron announced the launch of mobile service on the yellow line, including Jean-Drapeau and Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke stations and the 2,362-metre-long tunnel between Berri-UQAM and Jean-Drapeau stations, the longest tunnel to be serviced by the network. Last July, network service was brought to more of the green line with the addition of Atwater station, and service at Square-Victoria-OACI, Mont-Royal and Beaudry stations is next on the list.
Over the next two years, the wireless network will be deployed in the remaining downtown stations. The installation of a mobile network in the métro system was made possible thanks to an investment of approximately $50 million by four telecommunications companies—Bell, Rogers, Telus and Videotron—and will take five to seven years to roll out system-wide.
