The entire Grand Central Madison network encompasses three million square feet, said Boingo
Boingo Wireless has deployed 5G and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Grand Central Madison, a new, multi-billion dollar terminal serving Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) passengers. Featuring 5G, LTE and Wi-Fi 6 technologies, Boingo’s mobile network will provide coverage for all Tier 1 carriers at the station and throughout LIRR tunnels running to and from Queens, New York.
According to Boingo, the network will support MTA’s TrainTime App and allow riders to “utilize the full functionality of their mobile device,” enabling things like content streaming and voice calls while traveling. MTA operations will also get a boost with support for things like connected fare collection, maintenance monitoring, train tracking and safety management.
The project involved installing connectivity along 10 miles of tunnels, including two tunnels under the East River, and more than 100 miles of cable and hundreds of wireless access points across the terminal, platforms and tunnels. The entire Grand Central Madison network encompasses three million square feet, said the company.
Boingo CEO Mike Finley called Grand Central Madison a “masterpiece of engineering” that required a “reimagined public transit experience.”
“Navigating the complex landscape of tunnels located under the East River and platforms located 18 stories below street level required innovative engineering, strategic planning and a deep understanding of the unique telecom challenges posed by high-traffic locations,” Finley continued. “Our team excels at these complex obstacles, demonstrating excellence in launching the Grand Central Madison networks and setting the standard for what’s achievable in connecting large, major transportation hubs.”
Just last week, the company deployed a high-speed Wi-Fi 6 network throughout the Brasília International Airport (BSB), Brazil’s third busiest airport, with roughly 13 million passengers passing through per year, at the beginning of this year, launched a similar converged network at Newark Liberty International Airport’s (EWR) new Terminal A, which opened on January 12 and spans 1 million square feet.
