New York Airports Finally Offer Free Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi, for the first thirty minutes, will finally be available for air travelers in the New York metropolitan area, as the result of a recent agreement between the Port Authority and Boingo Wireless.

Boingo is a company based in California that specializes in providing Wi-Fi hotspots to public places all around the world, including airports, restaurants, stadiums, etc. The deal resulted in a restructuring of the Wi-Fi pricing levels to accommodate the free thirty minutes as well as a requirement of Boingo to upgrade the Internet speeds in the airports, expected to cost approximately $3.8 million.

The Port Authority runs four international airports in the area: JFK, LaGuardia, Newark and Stewart, and all four will benefit from the deal. These airports are infamous for not offering free Wi-Fi, as this goes against the norm in other cities, and although the new system will be an improvement it is by no means the best case scenario.

Originally, Wi-Fi access was available at a cost of $4.95 per hour and $7.95 for 24 hours. The new plan retains the same 24 hour fee, but does away with the hourly and adds a monthly option of $9.95. However, the plans are available via Boingo accounts, which means users can pay a fee and access Boingo-provided Wi-Fi in dozens of airports. This is considerably simpler and more cost efficient than paying separate fees for each airport the user chooses to visit.

Charges for Wi-Fi access are becoming more commonplace in areas where the consumer has no other option, such as in airports. Most restaurants cannot hope to charge customers for something that is expected, especially when many competitors make a point to advertise that they offer free access.

Airport Wi-Fi charges are understandable, as they are a valuable source of income for a sorely desired service, but the free thirty minutes makes a large difference. Under this plan, casual users will be able to catch up on what they need to and tidy up tasks while waiting for their plane without being taxed, while people who rely on the service heavily will be charged accordingly.