New York City residents suffering from a lack of reliable Internet access are in luck, as public libraries are preparing to launch a program where patrons will be able to rent portable Wi-Fi hotspots. The initiative is aimed at residents who would benefit from access on a long-term basis as opposed to those simply seeking convenience.
The program will spread about 10,000 Wi-Fi units among three libraries: the New York Public Library, the Queens Library and the Brooklyn Public Library. The New York and Brooklyn Public Libraries will offer them to residents who lack broadband and are enrolled in adult learning or other library programs, whereas the Queens Library will lend them to anyone with a library card. Check-out periods will vary, but generally fall between six and twelve months.
Connecting via cell towers instead of cables, the devices will otherwise provide functionality quite similar to normal Wi-Fi routers. They offer 4G LTE speed, which is comparable to the F.C.C.'s current definition of 4 Mbps download speed for broadband Internet. A hotspot can be plugged into the wall or powered by rechargeable batteries, will be secured by a provided password and are subject to terms and conditions set forth by Sprint.
This program is part of an overall effort to provide municipal Wi-Fi throughout the five boroughs. Last month the city announced a plan to roll out a new communications network called LinkNYC, which will turn thousands of the city's payphones into stationary Wi-Fi hotspots.
"At every branch you walk into, every computer is being used all the time," said Anthony Marx, President of the New York Library, highlighting the need for more widespread public Internet access. "As more and more of what the library offers moves online, it became obvious that there was a problem."
The hotspots will be provided by Sprint, and funded partially by a $1 million donation from Google. This is in addition to about $500,000 provided by various non-profits, bringing available funds closer to the expected cost of $2.6 million for the program's first year.
"There are only a few ways you can do this, save running fiber down the middle of the street, through the trees, and into apartment buildings," said William Floyd, Google’s Head of External Affairs for New York. "The things we like about the public library program are the simplicity and the reach."
The New York Public Library ran a six-month pilot of the program this summer, during which it found that 55 percent of its patrons using computers in its branches do not have broadband access at home. Of those patrons who reported a salary of $25,000 or less, 65 percent do not have broadband access at home.
Edited by
Maurice Nagle
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