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Yesterday, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) obtained preliminary board approval to seek proposals from suppliers to design, build, operate and maintain a new wireless communications system throughout the subway.

The new network would support cell phone services, radios, WiFi and The Metro Channel — WMATA’s proposed real-time information system that would display train information and other programming on flat-screen panels in trains, stations and buses — in 47 underground stations and more than 50 miles of tunnels.

The winning bidder would install the network, and Internet and phone companies would negotiate with the supplier to provide communication services. The communications system provider would pay licensing fees to WMATA, which could total between $200,000 and $2 million annually, the agency said.