The first wave of high-speed public internet access via LinkNYC kiosks has arrived

Access to the Web is vital. New Yorkers are inherently mobile. Citizens rely on smartphones for just about everything, from navigating the city, to ordering lunch, to job searching and more. Now more than ever, free access to Wi-Fi remains an essential element to NYC’s becoming the connected city that New Yorkers aspire for it to be.

Finally, that first wave of public Internet access has arrived. After testing out initial units, LinkNYC announced today that the first three flagship units are ready for public use. This massive infrastructure project involves many partners and is complex; PSFK breaks it down for you below.

Where?

The first few Links are on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan between 15th and 45th Streets. 145 3rd Ave, 165 3rd Ave, 188 3rd Ave.

How Soon?

As expected, the Wi-Fi will be turned on mid-January. Full tablet, phone and 911 button functionality will follow by Mid-February. LinkNYC will introduce Link functionality at scale as soon as the units are ready for the public to use and beta test.

How many per month? After the initial deployment period, the LinkNYC Team will install approximately 10 Links a day on city streets.

What are the Plans for Expansion? What Will It Cost?

At least 510 Links will get installed across all five boroughs by July 2016. The initiative will deploy a total of 7,500 Links throughout the city over the next eight years. At no cost to the city or taxpayers, CityBridge, the consortium behind the project, is investing $200 million in building the LinkNYC network.

As the city and those behind the huge project celebrate, there is still much work to do. PSFK spoke with Dave Etherington of CityBridge to further understand how LinkNYC can change and modernize a city always-on-the-go:

“LinkNYC is our response to some of the most pressing challenges facing New York City — and cities around the world — today. How can we provide greater access and connectivity without costing taxpayers a dime? How can we address the digital divide, where more than 25 percent of New Yorkers lack broadband access at home? The single largest opportunity when it comes to this project is its sheer scale and ability to benefit millions of people every day. In addition to more than 8.5 million New Yorkers, we’re also serving 56 million visitors from around the world. Our objective is to ensure LinkNYC creates real value for these diverse populations. LinkNYC is about reimagining the public-private partnership model to bring the incredible innovation of the digital world into our physical streetscape, providing value to New York City with a state-of-the-art new communications network.”

Going through with these plans is important for New York City and the metropolitan area. Doing a large project like this at scale is a difficult and challenging process. As a highly technical endeavor, LinkNYC faces its own set of challenges, every day brings new obstacles. The innovation behind the LinkNYC project will come to impact the city in exciting new ways. Therefore, it will certainly affect many New Yorkers’ lives.

“More than a quarter of New Yorkers don’t have high-speed broadband access at home. LinkNYC believes all New Yorkers should have access to the opportunities that the Internet affords, from kids who need help completing their homework to those who are job searching or need emergency assistance. The LinkNYC network also provides a range of other services anyone can take advantage of, like free phone calls anywhere in the U.S., 911 and 311 calls, a charging station, and a touchscreen tablet to access City services, and Internet browsing.”

What will NYC actually be getting? According to Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT): Links are connection points that house cutting-edge wireless technology, interactive communication systems, and digital advertising displays. Each ADA-compliant Link structure features:

• 24/7 free encrypted Wi-Fi with up to gigabit speeds

• Free phone calls to anywhere in the U.S. (through a partnership with Vonage)

• Integrated lighting

• Digital displays which exhibit strategic, insight-driven advertisements & public service announcements

• Touchscreen Android tablet expediting access to the Internet

• Tactile keypad with Braille lettering, dedicated 911 button, speaker, microphone & headphone jack

• USB charger for free mobile device usage

• Iconic & durable aluminum construction

• Sleek design & minimal footprint which restores sidewalk space previously encumbered by large payphone enclosures

“New York is a stage upon which all other cities watch. We think Link will be a catalyst in driving greater, cheaper connectivity in cities around the world. Links will radically transform the streetscape, serving up new utilities to charge devices, make free phone calls or browse the Internet on a tablet.

It will transform New Yorkers’ access to information by bringing free, super-fast Wi-Fi and access to services all across the city.”

What is the benefit? Just as payphones forever transformed city life more than a century ago, Link could transform how New Yorkers and visitors stay connected on-the-go and interact with the metropolis. Through advertising, LinkNYC comes at zero cost to taxpayers. LinkNYC will generate at least $500 million in revenue for the City over the next 12 years and CityBridge will use revenues to maintain and improve the service; the city and CityBridge will split revenues 50/50.

Further, unlike payphones, Links aren’t single-purpose and static touchpoints. LinkNYC can gain insights into how people are using the network and can continue to fine tune their offering, ensuring that it’s providing the most value for the greatest number of people. Finally, that first wave of Iinternet access has arrived and with the more new unit coming each day, the connected future is upon us. As LinkNYC begins to roll out this project, it is exciting to think about the potential to add more features and civic services down the road.

LinkNYC will soon launch a locator map on its website link.nyc with the whereabouts of other units.

LinkNYC

Originally published at www.psfk.com on January 19, 2016.