While you might envision a rural landscape as the backdrop for the digital divide, the disparities in access to connection and digital resources burden urban areas as well. In fact, one in three households in New York City lack either a broadband connection or mobile broadband from a cell service; and more than 1.3 million New Yorkers lack both. One creative solution: turning decommissioned payphones into broadband hotspots.
LinkNYC is an organization that partnered with the city of New York in 2015 to replace outdated payphones with a free citywide public Wi-Fi network.
According to its Chief Administrative Officer Margaux Knee, the company started "with the firm belief that digital connectivity is a fundamental right" and wanted to provide "a digital safety net for New Yorkers."
She explained over an email-conducted interview that LinkNYC has now built out over 2,100 locations citywide, connecting over 15 million New Yorkers. And over 30 million phone calls have been made on the network — with the most dialed number being the state’s EBT (food stamp) support line.
The kiosks are also equipped with tablets that offer a long line of services. These include maps, support programs (such as food pantries), mental health resources, shelters, emergency and health services and even work opportunities.
Completely funded by advertising — including operating costs of including electricity, fiber internet, and maintenance — its services are provided for New Yorkers and visitors at no cost to users or taxpayers. While the city spends nothing on the program, LinkNYC has generated over $119 million in revenue for the city.
Why stop at Wi-Fi?
Through the pandemic, LinkNYC surveying found that 30% of its users were solely relying on the kiosks for broadband. In 2021, the organization responded by ramping up its equity-focused efforts, again working with New York to provide 5G cellular service on top of Wi-Fi connection.
"However, connectivity challenges still persist across the city," Knee noted. The company’s recent poll found more than 25% of New Yorkers without home internet service rely on free Wi-Fi to access the internet at home, yet only 42% of New Yorkers citywide are familiar with the organization's 5G smart poles. And furthermore, a separate study from the NYC Council found between 11% and 13% of NYC Department of Education students in each borough lacked adequate home internet access.
“Especially throughout this latest stage of the program, we have recommitted ourselves to reaching underserved areas with our services," Knee explained.
They are currently focused on deploying in outer boroughs and above 96th Street — where 90% of the smart poles are being deployed. The areas were selected by the city based on lack of broadband options, lower median annual incomes, no existing LinkNYC infrastructure and high levels of pedestrian traffic, she added.
And while gaining broadband access is the first critical step, it isn’t the only one. As Knee explained, it’s also about learning how to use technology safely and effectively.
Working with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation and Boldyn Networks, LinkNYC has now established Gigabit Centers in every borough. In addition to offering free Wi-Fi, these centers work with community partners to provide digital literacy classes and device accessibility for residents across the city — from immigrant workers to senior citizens.
Broadband access has become about a lot more than internet browsing — it is an essential backbone for education and opportunity. Want to know more about the opportunities in this industry? Learn more here.