New York's New Public Wi-Fi Connects Businesses with Passersby

Businesses in all five New York boroughs will soon have the chance to market to the people passing by their front doors, thanks to a new public Wi-Fi network launching on December 15.

Following a growing model that links businesses with customers via free Wi-Fi, New York City’s We2 network is a location-based social network that incorporates 2,000 hotspots in the commercial corridors.

Businesses that sign up for the free network will have a chance to communicate to people who are using the We2 network nearby via real-time, direct messages.

We2 is a project initiated by GOWEX, an international telecommunications technology, as part of the company’s agreement with New York City. The overall business goal for GOWEX is to help telecommunications operators make their Wi-Fi networks profitable.

As such, We2 is designed to provide an alternative for cellular data offloading, expand connectivity options for mobile subscribers, and create new revenue opportunities by facilitating advertising and communications activities between retailers and customers.

We2’s network will turn private hotspots into public hotspots that are accessible for free by users registered on the We2 network. Users will also be able to see other We2 users on the network when they access the We2 network through We2 App.

The plan is part of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg administration's efforts to further the position New York as a "Technology Hub," and it is backed by the NYC Economic Development Corporation.

"We2 brings a fresh set of opportunities for residents and businesses in New York, enabling retailers to offer free Wi-Fi while introducing simple, localized manners of interaction between retailers and users," said Kyle Kimball, NYCEDC president.

New York is the pioneering project site of We2, and GOWEX plans to expand the network model to other cities. The company’s business strategy, which it calls the “Wireless Smart City,” has been deployed on a smaller scale in cities like San Francisco, Paris, Dublin, Buenos Aires, Barcelona and Madrid.