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    Ottawa’s Confederation Line will offer Wi-Fi and cellular connection through partnership with TELUS

    Sept. 13, 2019
    TELUS will be deploying small cells in all O-Train stations to ensure riders maintain their connectivity while using the light-rail system.
    City of Ottawa
    O-Train Confederation Line riders will be able to maintain their connectivity through a partnership with the city and TELUS that will make free Wi-Fi and cellular service available.
    O-Train Confederation Line riders will be able to maintain their connectivity through a partnership with the city and TELUS that will make free Wi-Fi and cellular service available.

    Riders on the O-Train Confederation Line will enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi and cellular service thanks to partnership with TELUS Communications Inc. that ensures customers stay connected between stations and in tunnels.  

    “Thanks to a great partnership with TELUS, I am pleased to announce free Wi-Fi in our downtown, underground light-rail transit stations and cellular service across the entire Confederation Line,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.“Customers will be able to stay connected during their commute on our world-class, light-rail transit system.”

    TELUS will be deploying small cells in all O-Train stations. In anticipation of the arrival of 5G, TELUS is providing new technology that will enable transit customers in Ottawa to fully benefit from faster and more data-capable networks and make way for improved commuter mobility as future smart technologies come online. The company says the connection enables transit customers in Ottawa to access one of the most technologically advanced networks built in Canada for public transportation.

    “We are extremely proud of our partnership with the city of Ottawa and look forward to contributing to the city’s largest infrastructure project since the Rideau Canal was built,” said Group President TELUS and Chair TELUS Québec François Gratton. “TELUS is again proving its commitment to our nation’s capital by providing an award-winning network that will allow commuters to benefit from our mobile broadband network.”

    TELUS will provide free, unlimited Wi-Fi at the start of the O-Train Confederation Line service in the three downtown, underground Line 1 station’s platform and door to door cellular service through the entire system including in the 2.5-km (1.55-mile) tunnel downtown tunnel, ensuring customers won’t miss calls or be disconnected during their short time underground.

    The O-Train Confederation Line is a C$2.13-billion (US$1.61-billion) transit project, jointly funded by the government of Canada, the province of Ontario and the city of Ottawa. When the line opens on Sept. 14, trains will carry up to 10,700 passengers per hour in each direction, between 13 stations. Trains will arrive every five minutes or less at the busiest times.

    About the Author

    Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

    Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

    Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

    She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

    She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.

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