In an effort to attract new businesses and entrepreneurs to Harlem, N.Y., Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Tuesday the launch of what he calls the nation's "largest" free public Wi-Fi network, Mashable reported.
The network will blanket 95 blocks of Harlem, from 110th t0 138th street between Frederick Douglas Boulevard and Madison Avenue, offering free Internet access to its 80,000 citizens and residents, including the 13,000 people currently living in low-income housing and may not be able to afford Internet.
"Our new Harlem wireless network brings critical connectivity to residents and visitors, giving them 24/7 access to everything from education materials for kids, to information about Harlem's rich history and attractions, to everyday needs like paying bills, checking library hours - or even just keeping tabs on the Knicks and Nets," Bloomberg said in a statement. "In 2013 being successful requires being connected."
The new Wi-Fi will be rolled out in three phases in coordination with the city's Technology Development Corporation and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. The first phase, extending from 110th to 120th Streets between Madison Avenue and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, phase two will cover 121st to 126th Street and will be completed February 2014. The third phase will finish off with 127th to 138th Street and will be done in May 2014, according to city officials.
"Increasing wireless connectivity helps to strengthen neighborhoods for those who live, work, and visit and is a key component of the Bloomberg Administration's efforts to ensure digital inclusion," Chief Information and Innovation Officer Rahul Merchant said in a statement. "The Harlem WiFi network extends wireless access to thousands of New Yorkers, enabling convenient free connectivity on-the-go. Thank you to our partners in this project for their commitment to expanding our City's digitally connected communities."
The free public network will serve the community for an initial five-year term and is funded through a donation from the Fuhrman Family Foundation to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.
According to the Daily Tech, This isn't the first time NYC has received free Wi-Fi.
In January, Google partnered with The Chelsea Improvement Company and design/installation company Sky-Packets to place free Wi-Fi between Gansevoort St. and 19th St. from 8th Ave. to the West Side Highway. It's also available in public spaces like the Chelsea Triangle, Gansevoort Plaza and 14th Street Park.
