Wireless technology expands in the Bronx

Foto:
Michael Appleton / NYC Mayoral Office

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In the Bronx, one of the communities most affected by the pandemic and that has long experienced socioeconomic and health inequalities –including the lack of affordable broadband Internet access–, the first Link5G kiosk was located yesterday.

Mayor Eric Adams, New York City CTO Matthew Fraser and LinkNYC Executive Director Nick Colvin today unveiled the kiosk, located in the Morris Heights neighborhood, that will provide fast, reliable Wi-Fi and free, wireless communication and national phone calls to residents of Salsa County.

Link5G will provide the necessary infrastructure for cellular service providers to expand 5G wireless technology throughout the five boroughs. Installation in the new kiosks will begin in the summer of this year.

Additionally, the City is working with LinkNYC, and closely with the community, to determine the exact locations of future kiosks, 90% of which will be located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and up the street. 96 in Manhattan, in order to provide resources to underserved communities.

The Mayor was convinced that these new LinkNYC 5G kiosks will help bridge the digital divide and expand and improve mobile technology coverage throughout this city

“When it comes to digital services, we know too many New Yorkers have been left behind,” Adams said. “Our administration is committed to changing that and ensuring that all residents of our city have access to technology services, no matter where they live.”

Once the plan is fully implemented, there will be approximately 2,000 new Link5G kiosks across the five boroughs, bringing LinkNYC’s total network to at least 4,000 locations in the city.

For his part, Fraser stressed that Link5G’s equity-focused launch “has the potential to lift up entire neighborhoods and communities that have languished as digital deserts amid the rapid technological advances of this century.”

Assemblywoman Yudelka Tapia applauded the Adams Administration for its commitment to ending these disparities.

“Fast, reliable and affordable broadband is not a luxury, it is an essential utility for learning, work, public health and ensuring that all people can prosper,” said the legislator.

“Bringing advanced technology to communities is essential for basic access to mobile connectivity and the Internet. The new high-capacity Link5G infrastructure is another step forward in ensuring the technology can be deployed equitably,” said Clayton Banks, CEO of Silicon Harlem.

For the president of Community Board 5 of the Bronx, Dr. Bola Omotosho, “from the information highway to digital technology at our doors, this is the best innovation of the 21st century.”

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