Wireless carriers agree to offer subway service

Love it or hate it, cell phone service in the subways has just gotten a step closer to reality — for some riders, at least.

AT&T and T-Mobile are reportedly the first to sign contracts with Transit Wireless, which has an agreement with the MTA to outfit the 277 underground subway stations — but not tunnels — with cell phone and Wi-Fi service.

Before you get excited, if you don’t have one of those carriers, you’re out of luck.

“For too long the subway system has been an information black hole in our lives, and bringing cell and Wi-Fi service to stations is one of the ways we are working to change that,” MTA Chairman Jay Walder said.

Six stations will be tested out first, with the entire job taking another four years, officials say.

“Getting text alerts will be a good thing,” MTA Board Member Andrew Albert said. “Hearing people yell above the noise of the train, maybe not.”

Transit Wireless could not be reached for comment.