Underground, but not unconnected — BART offers wireless service to riders

BART has become the first transit system in the nation to offer wireless communication to all passengers on its trains underground, putting an end to miles of technological isolation for multitasking commuters with cell phones glued to their ears, Blackberry devices stuck in their palms and computers perched on their laps.

"The goal we have is to completely wire 100 percent of the underground so a passenger (on a wireless device) wouldn’t know if they were above ground or underground,” said Chuck Rae, BART’s manager of telecommunications revenue. "It would be seamless.”

Some commuters riding under Market Street in San Francisco already are yakking on their phones, surfing the Web and sending e-mail. Within weeks, most passengers should be able to use wireless devices under San Francisco to phone in a pizza order on their way home.

Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

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