The Big Apple, the world famous nickname for New York City, intends to remain at the cutting edge of technology with plans to develop a citywide Wi-Fi network that will be accompanied by state of the art information hubs. All of the five boroughs will offer free Wi-Fi (something that many of us do take for granted these days), free calls to 911 and 311, in addition to a minimum of $17.5 million in annual city revenue.
The city, via its Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT), did issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the creation of a robust, citywide network of Internet hotspots which will make up one of the largest free Wi-Fi networks in the country. I wonder if Facebook activity in all of the five boroughs would increase greatly, and with the aging network of public pay telephones being replaced with state-of-the-art public connection points, the city could very well transform the physical streetscape and usher in a new future to New Yorkers as well as the way that they access information right at their very fingertips.
Oh yeah, the expectations of new local jobs created because of the development, servicing and maintenance of the structures would also be good news to those living in the area. [Press Release]