Wind Mobile Signs Exclusive Deal, Brings Cellular Service to Toronto’s Underground Subway

Wind Mobile is bringing cellular service to customers using Toronto’s underground subway through an exclusive deal with, BAI Canada, which is contracted by the Toronto Transit Commission to implement cell coverage across the city’s subway system.

So far, BAI has fallen short of expectations, deploying wifi at only a few subway stations, frustrating riders. Wind’s infrastructure will deploy cellular service across 18 stations in downtown Toronto. Some are live are already, with the rest live by the end of summer.

Wind has become the first wireless carrier to do this, despite having far fewer customers than Rogers, Telus, or Bell. Wind has less than a million nationwide, while the Big Three combine for more than 25 million. However, none of the Big Three have signed on to offer cellular service in Toronto’s subway system.

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Now Rogers, Telus, and Bell must wait a year for the exclusivity of Wind’s deal to end. If they want to offer their customers subway service any sooner, they’ll have to send their customers roaming on Wind’s network.

“Rogers, Bell and Telus could have come on some time ago, but they chose not to. Full stop,” CEO Alek Krstajic said at a press conference this morning.

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In April, Wind brought cellular service to Vancouver’s Canada Line.

“We are thrilled to offer this extended service to our customers,” said Krstajic at the time. “More than 120,000 Vancouverites travel on the Canada Line every day and each one deserves access to true mobile freedom. This is the next step as we work towards continuously expanding our network and strengthening WIND’s footprint across the country.”