New Yorkers looking to stay connected at all times as they traverse the city are relying on its free public Wi-Fi network in droves, LinkNYC announced Wednesday on its one-year anniversary. As of Jan. 4, more than 1 million people have joined the service since it was installed in January 2016, and roughly 40,000 people signup each week.
“It’s no surprise that people are using the LinkNYC program and are happy about the services it provides — ultrafast Wi-Fi, phone calls and more —at no cost to taxpayers,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “Through advanced technology, New Yorkers of all backgrounds can now connect — locally and globally — for free. LinkNYC is a 21st Century approach to closing the digital divide,” Councilmember Laurie A. Cumbo said. There are more than 500 LinkNYC kiosks, which replaced public pay phones, around the five boroughs. The most-visited one is at 1313 Broadway in Herald Square, which has had roughly 600,000 sessions. The installation has not been without its glitches, however.
In September, operators removed web browsing from all kiosk tablets after complaints that some users were viewing pornography and others monopolized the service, Metro reported. The kiosks still allow users to make free phone calls, charge devices, view maps and call 911.
Click here to find a LinkNYC kiosk.
A year after launching, LinkNYC reaches 1 million users: Officials
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