NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The City of New Rochelle announced today the installation of an upgraded Wi-Fi kiosk network that will extend connectivity throughout New Rochelle’s downtown corridor. Over the next several weeks, the City will work with its new Wi-Fi and tech infrastructure partner Intersection, through a public-private partnership, to begin replacing the existing kiosks over the next several weeks and add two more to the network, bringing all on line by Spring 2021.
Intersection will also install other Wi-Fi hotspots to create a fully integrated and wirelessly connected Downtown community.
The first new kiosk is expected to be activated at the New Rochelle Train Station before the end of the year.
We submitted a few questions to Intersection.
Q. What will be the extent of this coverage?
A. Kiosk locations can be found here.
Q. Will it reach up into the buildings?
A. The signal from a kiosk or hotspot reaches approximately 150′ from the unit. The signal strength can vary depending on the general character of the surrounding area and interference (including buildings) will reduce the signal.
Q. Will it eliminate the need to pay for Altice or Verizon?
A. The Wi-Fi is intended for use in public spaces.
Along with faster, more reliable Wi-Fi service and software that will ensure the City is on the same digital wave length when it comes t
o technology equity, the kiosks will also provide an outlet to communicate key information on community news, maps and directories, upcoming events, transit service updates, emergency notices and other resources for residents and businesses in real-time. Local businesses will also be able to buy advertising on the kiosks through Intersection.
“New Rochelle continues to prioritize technology equity across all demographics to ensure residents have universal access to Wi-Fi, especially in this new remote work environment, while creating an all-in-one information ecosystem that residents and future residents can take advantage of,” said New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson.
“Access to technology is a core component of not only our redevelopment for New Rochelle’s downtown corridor but for our vision to fully integrate and connect our City,” said New Rochelle Development Commissioner Luiz Aragon. “These new, state-of-the-art kiosks from Intersection will provide an upgraded user experience for our community to deliver information in real-time while also serving as a one-stop resource for residents and businesses as New Rochelle transitions to a next generation, smart city.”
Intersection will provide regular cleanings of the touch screens with public health top of mind. The new kiosks come at no cost to taxpayers and is funded through private investment and advertising revenue.
“We are thrilled to partner with New Rochelle to create a modern, connected streetscape for residents, workers and businesses and be part of their ambitious efforts to build a city of the future.” said Scott Goldsmith, President of Cities & Transit at Intersection.
Intersection currently operates over 1,800 Wi-Fi kiosks across the metro area, including NYC, Newark and Philadelphia, offering free Wi-Fi, access to local information and services to connect people and businesses.