SFMTA makes cellular upgrade at downtown stations
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA) has made upgrades to its downtown stations—high-speed C-Band cellular service.
Last year, the agency completed an upgrade that brought full cell service to all Muni Metro tunnels with service available through Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. SFMTA has now upgraded to C-Band technology. It now covers the Central Subway and Market Street stations from Civic Center through Embarcadero.
This change provides major mobile network improvements for Muni riders:
- Signal speeds and bandwidth increased by up to 300%.
- Smoother calls, faster downloads and more reliable connections.
- A seamless digital experience from platform to tunnel.
SFMTA also notes that it made the upgrade at no cost and without disrupting Muni service.
Supporting riders and the system for the long haul
City legislation allowed the agency to build cell service infrastructure underground at no cost to the SFMTA. An agreement with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and its vendor gives the agency the project without any construction costs.
The move also enables SFMTA to generate revenue from carriers using the cellular network. The agency notes that it will use the revenue it earns from carrier partnerships to keep providing critical services to local communities.
Working overnight to keep Muni riders connected
Muni staff and vendors made this upgrade happen without service disruptions by working in blocks of just a few hours overnight. Crews installed the infrastructure from the ground up–fiber, antennas and everything needed without needing to suspend service.
Now, the agency says it’s following the same strategy to upgrade more of its system to C-Band technology.
Many major international events are coming to San Francisco. The agency says its investment in cell service means it’s ready to handle large crowds, increased data use and visitors who expect world-class connectivity.
SFMTA says that more upgrades are already underway. The C-Band expansion for the Civic Center to West Portal corridor and the Sunset Tunnel is set to be completed by summer 2026.