BART scraps Wi-Fi contract, prompting threats of legal action

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has terminated an agreement with its Wi-Fi provider, WiFi Rail. But while BART says it is simply ending a trial period, WiFi Rail CEO Cooper Lee accuses officials of illegally backing out of a long-term contract.

BART signed what was billed as a 20-year contract with WiFi Rail in 2009. In exchange for BART providing the “horizontal real estate,” the company would install the infrastructure and create the service. WiFi Rail would eventually get to charge for the service. BART spokesman Jim Allison said WiFi Rail “has not submitted an adequate financial or technical plan for completing the network throughout the BART system. ” Lee is considering legal action.