In June, we let you know that free public Wi-Fi would soon be a thing for everyone in New York City.
Now, we're happy to announce that that exciting announcement has just become reality.
That's right: the city's first public Wi-Fi is finally being installed, and we're more than pumped.
Really, nothing gets us going harder than non-password protected Wi-Fi. We're so pumped to be able to browse our emails and read the internet from anywhere in the city. From random people's apartments to even more random restaurants - soon there will be internet for all.
We're also excited to be able to tap into the worldwide bloodstream, er, we mean, the internet, while lying out in public parks too. We'll probably have to wait for the springtime for that, though, now that it's finally cold in this city.
Work began on the first public, free, super fast Wi-Fi on December 28th outside the Starbucks at 15th Street and 3rd Avenue, according to The Verge.
It's called a LinkNYC access point, and the internet hubs are designed to update the essentially useless phone booths that are still scattered throughout the city.
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Using upgraded infrastructure, workers are enabling these phone booths to provide gigabit Wi-Fi access points.
500 other LinkNYC hubs will be installed throughout the city by mid-July of 2016.
As for when we can sign on to the hug they're building in the East Village? LinkNYC estimates they'll have to test the East Village hubs for one or two more weeks before we can use it to check our email or reblog stuff on Tumblr or stalk our exes on Facebook.
linknycofficial #LinkNYC is currently testing these #freewifi #hotspots out, but #newyorkers can look forward to using these pylons in the near future! More to come … #smartcities #technology #wifi #nyc #3rdavenue
Or, you know, use it for all the standard internet activities.
When the whole project is complete, there will be more than 7,500 public hubs throughout the city. They'll all replace pre-existing phone booths.
So, no, you won't be able to place desperate phone calls after you leave your phone on the subway, but hopefully you'll be able to stop writing checks to Time Warner. We think it's a pretty solid tradeoff.
The devices will also include USB device charging ports, touchscreen web browsing, and two 55-inch advertising displays.
All-in-all, we're pretty excited about the prospect of free, citywide internet access. NYC, you've done it again. Mind. Blown.
Check out More Than Half of NYC Subway Stations Have Wi-Fi!
[via The Verge]