zang
Senior Member
It was always effing terrible.
TTC dropping Wi-Fi from subway stations
The Toronto Transit Commission has decided to drop its free ad-supported Wi-Fi service now that there's reliable cell service in the tunnels and stations.mobilesyrup.com
In the past I've run personal tests, turned off my mobile data and tried just using the TCONNECT along the Line 2 from Yonge station to Kipling. It's not worth it. I can't verify but it always seemed like access points were only ever installed centrally on the platform, and quality drops off precipitously the closer you get to the tunnels (though that could be signal reflection bouncing off all the concrete causing SNR problems).
Many times it seemed the greater network didn't share sessions, or it dropped user sessions far too quickly, so moving between one and say three stations over would lose your session and you'd have to "log in" again. In my own TCONNECT testing *on the train*, reconnection when arriving into the station would take forever, and it would be lost instantly the second the train moved into the tunnel. Realistically, it was only about 10 seconds of barely usable time at each station. Yes, I get being in a massive metal tube didn't help, but it's one way people attempt to use the system.
Reception always appeared non-existent or absolutely terrible within the concourse areas of stations as well. So, suffice it to say, unless you were standing at the centre of the platform waiting for a train, it almost never made sense.
I have to imagine the $17m that would've been used would also have worked to improve the on-platform reception by adding additional access points. But long enough wait times warranting the need for shoddy wifi also brings light to the increased wait times that seem to be happening along the subway system in general.
Use that money and get more vehicles on the tracks. I'm tired of seeing "8 min" on sign while standing at a downtown subway platform at 3:45pm on a weekday.
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