Smartphone communication costs are a headache for everyone. Some people use free Wi-Fi at cafes and other places to save money on communication costs when they are out. However, free Wi-Fi is often slow and limited in availability.
But in Manhattan, New York, there are completely free, ultra-fast Wi-Fi hotspots popping up all over the city. Of course, travelers from overseas can also use it immediately. You'll be surprised to find that the service offers the highest quality that you wouldn't expect for free, such as the ability to comfortably watch video streaming.
LinkNYC Kiosks Growing in Manhattan |
The name of this service is "LinkNYC". Currently, installations are proceeding at a rapid pace, mainly in Manhattan. Check out the video below to see what the service actually offers.
Super fast Wi-Fi hotspot "LinkNYC" |
LinkNYC was conceived with the aim of effectively replacing public phone booths that are no longer used due to the spread of mobile phones. It is operated by the New York City Department of Information Technology and Communications and the consortium "CityBridge," which includes Qualcomm and others. Approximately 10,000 kiosks will eventually be installed in New York City.
If you walk down the streets of Manhattan, you'll find an array of LinkNYC kiosks along the streets. The large display is a digital signage with advertisements, announcements, and weather forecasts, and this is the main feature of LinkNYC. Usually, this kind of free service is often used with some kind of tax. But LinkNYC is trying to cover its operating costs with advertising displayed on digital signage. New York City is part of the plan, but it's trying to build a high-speed telecommunications infrastructure around the city without spending taxpayers' dollars.
Advertising as digital signage. Advertisement expenses cover operations |
The most useful feature of LinkNYC is the free hotspot. The speed corresponding to several hundred Mbps is the same as or higher than the LTE line used in smartphones. While most free hotspots typically have speeds of a few Mbps at most, LinkNYC allows you to download high-definition movies in no time. Radio waves can travel up to 150 feet (about 45 meters), so there are cases where the kiosk can be used even in places where you can't see it.
In fact, I once emailed hundreds of megabytes of data while on a business trip to New York. At the hotel, it took a long time to send, and a connection error occurred due to a timeout, but when I used LinkNYC, I was able to send it in less than a few minutes.
Some LinkNYC kiosks are located near cafes and Starbucks. In such cases, using LinkNYC is much faster and more comfortable than using the store's free Wi-Fi. When you actually go to such a store, you often see New Yorkers working hard with their laptops in front of them. There are also many people who gather near the kiosk to chat while taking a break. LinkNYC has now become an integral part of New York City.
LinkNYC kiosk in front of Starbucks. Much more comfortable than in-store Wi-Fi |
The kiosk also has a built-in tablet device, so you can do some research. However, it would be easier to do it using your smartphone. What makes it even more useful is the fact that it has a USB charging port. Even if your smartphone's battery is about to run out, you can charge your smartphone using your own USB cable.
There is also a USB port so you can charge your smartphone. Many users actually use |
Although there are not many locations yet, they are concentrated on each road, and multiple kiosks are lined up between intersections. There is also In such a place, even if you turn off data communication on your smartphone, you can comfortably access the internet with just free Wi-Fi. When I visit New York, I check the installation location on the LinkNYC website and make a reservation for a hotel with a kiosk nearby. Even if the internet at the hotel is slow, if you can use LinkNYC in an emergency, your work will not be hindered.
Built-in tablet. Free local calls |
If high-speed free Wi-Fi can be used freely, the ways to use smartphones will expand greatly. Visitors from overseas will also benefit from being able to freely access the Internet without worrying about roaming charges. In Japan, free Wi-Fi for visitors to Japan is increasing at stations and other places. For the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, next to the station, I want free Wi-Fi in the city. I would like to see a service like LinkNYC offered in Japan as well.