New York Today: Cheers, and Complaints, for Subway Wi-Fi
Updated, 8:27 a.m.
Good morning on this rainy Tuesday.
You might think that bringing cellphone service and Wi-Fi to New York City’s underground subway stations would be met with a standing ovation from riders.
Perhaps you haven’t met New Yorkers: We like to complain.
We asked readers what they thought of the new service, which reached 277 underground stations last week. More than 100 commuters responded — with praise, gripes and, sometimes, both.
Erwin Figueroa, 27, of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn, said that having the new internet access makes waiting for a train more bearable. And he can alert his employer if he’s running late because of delays. Still, he said he would rather see officials address “the need for better infrastructure on the system.”
Julia Smith, 22, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, predicts that more commuters will be glued to their phones. She said she liked those brief pauses of solitude with no connection.
“The excitement of getting out of the subway stop and getting your texts was such a nice feeling. But I am grateful that M.T.A. is doing this, as I’m sure it will improve safety, especially late at night,” she said, referring to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Lily Jen, 25, of Sunnyside, Queens, was concerned about the security of the Wi-Fi network: “I’m not going to be doing any banking on the subway.”
For now, cellphone service and Wi-Fi are mostly confined to subway stations and don’t yet reach the tunnels — a problem that riders like Brandon Phillips, 29, of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, say they hope will be resolved.
“Any truly relevant Wi-Fi service should be available on the trains themselves,’’ he said, “because we’re too busy getting around in the stations to benefit from just station Wi-Fi.”
Phone calls on trains? We wonder how that will go over.
Here’s what else is happening:
Weather
TOMORROW: 
45° 38°
45° 38°
You may not care to connect while underground, but at least you’ll be dry.
Rain is expected today. A morning drizzle, followed by heavier stuff in the afternoon.
Today’s high is 42.
And it looks soggy, cold and cloudy through Wednesday.
In the News
• Donald J. Trump’s childhood home is to be auctioned today. [New York Times]
• The M.T.A. has reached a tentative contract agreement with the union representing the city’s subway and bus workers, officials said. [New York Times]
• Facing inquiries around his fund-raising practices, Mayor Bill de Blasio has shifted his re-election strategies. [New York Times]
• Several New York lawmakers are boycotting the inauguration of Mr. Trump. [WNYC]
• State lawmakers are trying to prevent a 5-cent fee for a paper or plastic bag from going into effect next month. [Staten Island Advance]
• A hip-hop podcast host has been arrested on a weapons charge relating to a fatal shooting last year at a concert by the rapper T.I. [New York Times]
• A Staten Island woman says the city is making her get rid of her pet pig. [Gothamist]
• Eleven years after they last saw their mother, José and Juan Rivera left El Salvador to join her in the United States, where new challenges awaited. [New York Times]
• Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “Getting a Compliment From One Who Knows”
Coming Up Today
• Day 1 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.
• Leaders in War: Dwight D. Eisenhower, a discussion with the historian and author Andrew Roberts, at the New-York Historical Society. 6:30 p.m. [$44, tickets here]
• A talk by the historian Michael Woodsworth about his book, “Battle for Bed-Stuy: The Long War on Poverty in New York City,” at the Brooklyn Historical Society. 6:30 p.m. [$10]
• The New York Jewish Film Festival continues at Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center in Manhattan. Times vary, schedule here. [$14]
• Looking ahead: Join writers from “The Daily Show” for an improv comedy performance on Thursday at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Chelsea.
• Rangers host Stars, 7 p.m. (MSG). Nets host Raptors, 7:30 p.m. (YES). Devils at Wild, 8 p.m. (MSG+).
• For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide.
Commute
• Alternate-side parking: in effect until Jan. 28.
And Finally...
The yellow cab — a fixture in New York life — is losing ground to ride-hailing apps like Uber, Lyft, Via and Juno. Cabs are also struggling to stay relevant to digitally savvy New Yorkers and out-of-towners, The Times’s Winne Hu reports.
When asked when he might have occasion to take a yellow cab, Jay Maxwell, 30, of Brooklyn, said: “If there wasn’t a subway station nearby and my phone wasn’t working. Then maybe. But that’s yet to happen.”
Anya Konstantinovsky, a first-year student at Barnard College, said that shared car services felt safer. “I like being able to follow along with the route on my phone,” she said.
Alex Ehmke, 26, of the Upper East Side, said he doesn’t understand why the yellow cab industry has been so slow to adapt to change. “This is certainly not breakthrough Silicon Valley technology that just took New York City by storm. Even my parents have had GPS in their cars for years. So why are they still not available in our cabs?”
Tell us: Are you hailing fewer yellow cabs in favor of ride-hailing apps? Either way, share your thoughts in the comments.
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P.C: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/nyregion/new-york-today-winter-outdoor-activities-nyc.html
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