Upgrading To 21st Century Technology
New York City, through its Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT), issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the creation of a citywide network of Internet hotspots that will constitute one of the largest free Wi-Fi networks in the country, greatly increasing access to broadband connectivity across the five boroughs.
By replacing the aging network of public pay telephones with state-ofthe art public connection points, the city aims to transform the physical streetscape-and New Yorkers’ access to information-while also creating new local jobs for the development, servicing and maintenance of the structures.
“This administration has committed to making New York City work better for every community, and this RFP for free outdoor Wi-Fi is a down payment on that promise,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “For years, the question was, ‘What to do with payphones?’ and now we have an answer. By using a historic part of New York’s street fabric, we can significantly enhance public availability of increasingly-vital broadband access, invite new and innovative digital services, and increase revenue to the city-all at absolutely no cost to taxpayers.”
“The release of this RFP is the result of a series of initiatives that imagined the future of the payphone, from piloting Wi-Fi hotspots to gathering ideas through a popular design challenge,” added acting DoITT Commissioner Evan Hines. “Building on DoITT’s digital inclusion efforts, this RFP represents an opportunity to innovate the existing payphone network to offer an unprecedented level of connectivity to all New Yorkers, including free citywide wireless access. We look forward to seeing these new valuable services established in all five boroughs.”
“Further developing New York City’s connectivity is imperative in order to keep our city on the forefront of the digital age,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Kyle Kimball. “This initiative, which will result in the creation of one of the largest free Wi-Fi networks in the country, adds to our existing programs, such as ConnectNYC and Wireless Corridors, positioning New York City to be a global leader in the quest to facilitate wireless access for all New Yorkers.”
“The transformation of the public pay telephone from a 20th Century relic to a 21st Century resource is an exciting proposition for Brooklyn’s future,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “I’m enthusiastic about DoITT’s exploration of new and innovative ways the city can expand free public Wi-Fi and Internet access through this infrastructure. It is good to see government in the business of enhancing communication and information utility for every New Yorker, in every neighborhood.”
This RFP was developed following a lengthy public outreach process that began in 2012 when DoITT issued a Request for Information (RFI) about the future of the payphone. Through the subsequent Reinvent Payphones Design Challenge in 2013, the city engaged urban designers, planners and technologists to create physical and virtual prototypes to imagine the future of these structures.
The city received more than 125 submissions, featuring a variety of innovations, from augmented reality and hyper-local sensors to voice and gesture controlled kiosks.
Based on public input, the new RFP is structured to allow the maximum range of proposals-from relatively simple designs to more elaborate, high-tech communication devices with a variety of service offerings and capabilities. In addition to 24/7 free Wi-Fi, the communication structures will continue to offer phone services, including free 911 and 311 calls.
New services may include cell phone charging stations and touch screens that provide information or facilitate business transactions. These installations will also provide the city with an additional means of disseminating emergency notifications and information during citywide events.
Proposers are also encouraged to include the use of independent power sources, such as solar energy.
Designs will be evaluated on the basis of functional efficiency, aesthetics, security, durability, adaptability for various environments around the city-including historic districts and individual landmarks- and accommodation of people with disabilities.
Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate the greatest public benefit from the services and the local economic opportunities presented by this initiative. In addition to the creation of new jobs for the development, servicing and maintenance of the communication structures, the city expects that the services themselves will help support job seekers, freelancers, residents in need of affordable broadband services, small businesses, the local tech industry, and visitors.
The winning proposal will provide for the installation, operation, and maintenance of up to 10,000 public communication points distributed across the five boroughs. These structures will replace and supplement the roughly 7,300 current public payphone installations across New York City. New structures will be funded primarily through the sale of digital advertising in commercial corridors and must be deployed within four years.
The franchise will produce $17.5 million in guaranteed annual revenue for the City of New York through the end of the franchise in June 2026.
For more information, visit nyc.gov/DoITT. Responses to the RFP are due by June 30 at 5 p.m. The city anticipates the signing of a contract for this initiative by the end of 2014.
