LinkNYC

About the city. The New York City strives to be that kind of a city where all residents have access to amenities such as free wi-fi, clean water and a waste management system. To achieve this goal, the city government has developed Smart city projects in collaboration with residents and companies.

Goal

The aim of the project is transforming the city’s physical streetscape and creating a new above-ground Wi-Fi network.

Implementation period. Installation of the first “Links” started in 2015.

Fact

The Links replace the city’s network of 9,000 to 13,000 payphones, a contract for which expired in October 2014.

Solutions

LinkNYC is a first of its kind communications network that provides fast and free public Wi-Fi to residents, small businesses, and visitors. Built at no cost to taxpayers, Link kiosks replace outdated payphones to improve New Yorkers Internet access and also provide a place to make phone calls.

Links are connection points that host advanced wireless technologies, interactive communication systems, and digital advertising displays. Each ADA-compatible link structure has features:

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

-Free phone calls to anywhere in the U.S.

-Integrated lighting

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

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

-USB charger for free mobile device usage

-Video Relay System to provide service to users with disabilities

-Touchscreen Android tablet with access to certain City services, with multi-lingual support

Challenges

In summer 2016, concerns arose about the Link tablets’ browsers being used for illicit purposes.

There was the decision to implement content filters on the kiosks, but despite that, the illicit activities continued, and the browsers were disabled.

There are concerns that despite the WPA/WPA2 encryption, hackers may still be able to steal users’ data, especially since the LinkNYC Wi-Fi network has millions of users.

To reduce the risk of data theft, LinkNYC is deploying a better encryption system for devices that have Hotspot 2.0.

Team

New York City Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation, the City of New York Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications and CityBridge.

Timeline

• As of July 2017, there are 920 Links citywide.
• The LinkNYC network exceeded 500,000 average monthly calls, 1 billion total sessions, and 5 million monthly users in September 2018.

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