LinkNYC is the Future of Public Wi-Fi

by Nick Guercio & Nickelina Noel

If you haven’t heard about LinkNYC, then you need to check out the free, high speed Wi-Fi network set to launch at least 7,500 Link kiosks across NYC. The program, funded through advertising, contributes to digital OOH advertising by providing a well-positioned and innovative platform.

We took a trip down to one of the kiosks at the corner of 17th and 3rd to interact with this brand new offering in the out of home space. Two large, 55 inch HD displays offered advertising and messages touting the features of the Link. But the feature we were most excited about was the free gigabit Wi-Fi it offers. I selected the network on my phone and was immmediately connected. No landing page. No agreements to check or sign. I then ran a speed test on my phone and I’ve never seen an internet connection as fast as this. 180 mb/s downloading and 415 mb/s uploading… blindingly fast. This is like something from Star Trek. We’re fans.

By July 2016, 510 Links will be situated in the following areas: 3rd Ave and 8th Ave above 14th Street, Manhattan, Northern Manhattan, South Bronx, Jamaica, Queens, Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, and St. George, Staten Island.