The New York City government said awardees will have the right to use existing light and utility poles to deploy new wireless infrastructure
The New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications has released a request for proposals (RFP) for firms who wish to expand wireless connectivity across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island — with a focus on underserved parts of the city.
The awardees will become franchisees of the city and will have the right to install technology on city-owned light poles and utility poles in order to provide wider wireless coverage and better service to people living and workers in New York City’s five boroughs.
“The City of New York has pledged to make access to technology a right—and not a privilege—for New Yorkers in every corner of every borough, as we work towards Mayor de Blasio’s goal to deliver high-quality, affordable broadband to all New Yorkers by 2025,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Laura Anglin. “This solicitation for mobile service providers puts that pledge into action, while also ensuring that New York City stays at the forefront of the 5G expansion.”
“NYC DOT supports the expansion of mobile service across the five boroughs and in previously underserved areas,” said NYC Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner for Traffic Operations Joshua Benson. “We are contributing to these efforts by making our traffic signal poles and light poles available to serve a dual purpose of supporting mobile service while maintaining their primary safety functions.”
City officials noted that NYC has managed the deployment of wireless technology on the city’s light poles for more than a decade, resulting in nearly 9,000 poles reserved by franchisees throughout the five boroughs, which are, or will soon be outfitted with equipment that can connect wireless phone owners to a 3G, 4G, or LTE wireless signal on a mobile device.
“Demand for poles has historically been highest in Manhattan below 96th street,” according to the city. So its Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications “re-focused franchisee pole reservations to underserved areas across the 5 boroughs.
“This effort yielded, for the first time ever, more poles reserved outside of the city’s central business district than within it—better meeting the need for technology access in all of our communities,” the city concluded.
The RFP also introduces installations in some of the other street furniture around the City. Under the provisions of this RFP, LinkNYC kiosks may become eligible sites for mobile telecom franchisees to place their wireless installations. The more than 1,600 active LinkNYC kiosks deliver free Wi-Fi across the five boroughs. DoITT also encourages RFP responders to propose ideas for neutral host installations, allowing multiple providers to offer service on the same pole and making wireless service more resilient.
“As a member of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee, it has been important for me to ensure we are maximizing the utility of our municipal resources to benefit as many underserved New Yorkers as possible. In that spirit, I support the City’s effort to expand wireless connectivity through technology on our light poles and utility poles, and I hope this RFP will result in robust proposals that help us meaningfully close the digital divide,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
“This expansion of mobile telecommunications shows that the City of New York is serious about expanding wireless networks across the five boroughs. As new infrastructure like LinkNYC continues to come online outside Manhattan, we must seek new ways to increase Wi-Fi access by optimizing this and other infrastructure throughout the city, said council member Peter Koo, Chair of the Committee on Technology.
