Dropped signals or no signals have long been associated with underground rail service. Cities such as New York and Boston and their European counterparts have long debated making phone service accessible for commuters on the train - despite the very valid fears of misuse - think terrorists and the possibility to explode something remotely. Still, the London Underground (LU) plans a functional system by 2008.

Feasibility study in the works:

"An LU spokesman said the feasibility study, due to last 2 months, will look at the space, power and infrastructure implications of installing mobile phone masts in stations."

Terrorism fears valid but not overwhelming:

"Although a mobile phone signal can be got on around 55 per cent of the current network some passengers have fears, not of terrorist actions, but of the annoyance of other passengers using their phones. I hope they have quiet carriages like overland trains, it would be a nightmare stuck on the Waterloo and City Line with hundreds of phones going off at once", passenger Frances Barber outside Waterloo station told Pocket-lint. "

It's been done before by Hutchinson:

"In the 1980s Hutchinson, the now owner of 3 the 3G network, once ran the Rabbit base stations. Subscribers to the service could make mobile calls when they were within 100 metres of a Rabbit transmitter, and hence use their phone underground." The service failed due to some technical and social limitations but the stage has been set since. (Source: Pocket-Lint and BBC)

Similar plans in the US?

Or are we behind again in the mobile access world (as the joke goes). New York  held bids for potential contracts but due to low volume the plan never progressed much beyond this stage. Boston Chicago and SFO have  rolled out limited service but it's safe to say "doubts cloud plans for cell service in subway stations."Either way, that's good news for mobile bloggers - the risks be what they may! Just think, instead of gazing at those garish posters you can Shozu or Scoopt your heart out!

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