LinkNYC: The largest and fastest free municipal Wi-Fi network in the world.
Mayor de Blasio, Counsel to the Mayor, Maya Wiley, DoITT Commissioner Anne Roest, and representatives from CityBridge today announced the public launch of LinkNYC, which is transforming the City’s old payphones into Wi-Fi kiosks to create the world’s largest and fastest free public Wi-Fi network. These kiosks, called ‘Links,’ will provide New Yorkers with an incredibly fast, secure and private Wi-Fi network with a 150-foot radius, free domestic calling, two USB charging ports, a tablet for accessing the internet, and a red 911 button to contact emergency services. Overall, at least at 7,500 Links – and as many as 10,000 – will be installed across the five boroughs.
“CIVIQ Smartscapes is proud to be a part of the team responsible for bringing the LinkNYC network to New York City and the world,” said Brad Gleeson, Chief Commercial Officer, CIVIQ Smartscapes. “Together, we’ve created a new concept in urban infrastructure that delivers the same sort of critical communications services for the 21st century that first public payphones did for the 20th century. As the structural engineers and manufacturer behind the Link kiosk, we’re excited to be building this new New York City icon.”
“LinkNYC is the Wi-Fi network New Yorkers deserve: the largest, fastest municipal Wi-Fi network in the world – and you won’t need to insert a quarter in the slot, because it’s completely free,” said Mayor de Blasio. “LinkNYC brings us a couple steps closer to our goal of leveling the playing field and providing every New Yorker with access to the most important tool of the 21st century”.
Following today’s launch, Links will be installed and activated on a rolling basis, with over 500 kiosks in all five boroughs by the end of July, and over 4,500 by mid-2019. Link deployment will follow the installation of high-speed fiber optic cables along “corridors” throughout the city. Users will be able to stay connected with superfast Wi-Fi, even as they move through the five boroughs. The Administration worked closely with the borough presidents to determine a guaranteed number of Links in each borough – as outlined in the franchise agreement with CityBridge – to ensure this project would reach neighborhoods across the five boroughs. Some of the first areas to see links by July include St George, Staten Island, Jamaica, Queens, South Bronx, and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.
In November 2014, following a competitive bid process, the de Blasio administration announced the selection of CityBridge – a consortium of companies that includes CIVIQ Smartscapes, as well as Qualcomm and Intersection – to develop and operate the first-of-its-kind LinkNYC network – bringing the world’s fastest municipal Wi-Fi to millions of New Yorkers, small businesses, and visitors. The five-borough network is funded entirely through advertising revenues, will be built at no-cost to taxpayers, create new local jobs. The project is estimated to generate more than $500 million in revenue for the City.
LinkNYC will offer an encrypted network for HotSpot 2.0-enabled devices, making it one of the first encrypted public Wi-Fi networks and adding a critical layer of protection to personal data. The de Blasio Administration and CityBridge have also created a customer-first privacy policy – using only anonymized, aggregate user data to make the system more efficient, develop insights to improve the Link experience and better understand New Yorkers’ broadband needs. Each Link will have at least 24 hours of back-up battery power to enable 911 calling capability in the event of the loss of commercial power.
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Mayor Bill de Blasio demonstrating how to use the link.
CIVIQ Smartscapes‘ role in LinkNYC is bringing together the technology and components into a structure that’s tough enough to survive on the streets of New York, whilst still being attractive and appealing. The structures go through rigorous testing to make sure they’re reliable through the harsh conditions of the urban environment and extreme weather.
Watch Nick Cardillicchio (CIVIQ Smartscapes) Show You How to Get Connected
In the news:
- Washington Post: New York’s futuristic new pay phones don’t require any payment at all
- Fast Company: New York City Officially Launches Free Public Wi-Fi
- The Verge: New York’s public Wi-Fi hubs now have Android tablets
- Engadget: LinkNYC’s free gigabit WiFi officially launches, we go hands-on
- New York Magazine: New York’s High-Tech Wi-Fi Phone Booths Are Here, and They Even Make Phone Calls
- TechCrunch: NYC Continues Its Great Phonebooth Transformation As First Tablets Hit Its Gigabit Wi-Fi Spots
- Venture Beat: Hands-on with LinkNYC: the free Wi-Fi hub and tablet that killed the payphone
- AOL: NYC’s new Wi-Fi hotspots are payphone booths of the future
- PC Magazine: Hands On With the Free Android Tablets at LinkNYC’s Sidewalk KiosksInhabitat: NYC to launch free LinkNYC Wi-Fi hotspots today
- New York Business Journal: The age of free Wi-Fi is officially upon New York, including poorer neighborhoods
- The Journal News: NYC is getting the world’s largest free Wi-Fi
- Inverse: NYC Mayor on City’s Warp-Speed Wifi: “You Won’t Need to Insert a Quarter in the Slot”
- CIO: Good riddance payphones: NYC’s free gigabit Wi-Fi kiosks go live
- New York Daily News: City launches free public Wi-Fi system, transforms old pay phones into Internet hotspots
- New York Post: New Yorkers ecstatic over free Wi-Fi hubs
- Tech Times: From Phonebooth To Gigabit Wi-Fi Spots: New York’s LinkNYC Kiosks Come With Android Tablets
- Observer: De Blasio Unveils LinksNYC Wifi Kiosks, With Promises to Protect Privacy
- Gothamist: We Tested NYC’s New Fast Free Public Wi-Fi
- SmartCritique: New York City’s old payphones transformed into Internet hotspots