Cellphone Debacle

I've always wondered...with the threat of terrorism still overshadowing the US and the New York City subway system targeted, as reported several times by officials for a terrorist strike, why the subway system has not been beefed up with wireless technology so people can get connected underground in the case of such an attack.

But even before the recent unfortunate events of September 11th, I've wondered and I'm sure many New Yorkers and visitors to the city have too, with Europe, Japan, China and other countries leading the way in wireless technology in that their subway systems are all wirelessly equipped, why New York City dubbed among other terms "The Capital of the World" is left behind in that respect.

I know, having read an article somewhere, that New Yorkers have lately sought out the subway as a place of refuge away from cellphone toting New Yorkers who are constantly, I believe the aricle said, "yakking on the phone." But to my mind it just doesn't make sense why a plan to digitally wire the underground is not in the works, at least not that I know of.

How many times I've felt trapped underground New York waiting for a train and just wishing I could reach out and touch someone on the outside world just to keep from being bored, or to forget at least for a little while that I am hot and sticky and miserable down there...I've fallen asleep a couple of times too and ended up way out of range from my destination stop. Times like those I wish I could indeed call someone.

It doesn't matter to me about the poll I heard about which resulted in most New Yorkers (I believe 54%), not wanting to have cellphone access in the subway (to the 45% who do), because the subway gives the 54% folks, an excuse to tell their employers that they're late for work and what not. I just think New York underground should get wired and it seems to me that "yakking" on the phone is a small price to pay in case (God-Forbid!) another attack so people can reach out and connect to their loved ones and friends.