NYC hasn’t had comprehensive plan to increase internet access since Mayor Adams killed popular plan in 2022
New York (November 14, 2024) – Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, Chair of the Committee on Technology, will introduce legislation next week at the November 21st, 2024, Stated meeting aimed at reviving the transformative Internet Master Plan, a blueprint to provide universal, affordable, and equitable broadband access to all New Yorkers.
Originally launched in 2020, the Internet Master Plan set out to give broadband access to the over 1.5 million New Yorkers who lack reliable internet. Despite initial success and broad support from community and government stakeholders, Mayor Eric Adams discontinued the program in 2022 in favor of the more limited Big Apple Connect initiative.
This inaction from Mayor Adams sparked strong criticism from digital equity advocates, community groups, and members of the City Council’s technology committee, who argued that Big Apple Connect does not address the full scope of New York’s digital divide.
Council Member Gutierrez’s new bill, co-sponsored by 14 Council Members, directs the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) to resume and implement the core strategies of the Internet Master Plan, which include:
- Setting measurable goals for providing affordable broadband in underserved neighborhoods;
- Leveraging city assets and public-private partnerships to expand a shared fiber infrastructure;
- Prioritizing participation from minority- and women-owned internet providers to ensure equity in digital services;
- Guaranteeing broadband access in all city-owned facilities, including public housing.
“The Internet Master Plan was a bold and visionary approach to closing New York City’s digital divide and make sure 1.5 million more New Yorkers are connected to the services and community they need to thrive,” said Council Member Gutierrez. “Discontinuing it left countless families without access to essential connectivity, and no path forward in site. This legislation will put New York City back on track to achieve true digital equity. After what we went through in 2020, with remote schooling, remote programming from senior centers, and increases in remote work, making sure every single New Yorker has high-speed internet access is a matter of life and death.”
The timing of this legislation is particularly crucial following the discontinuation of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) earlier this year, which provided internet subsidies to over 2 million New York City residents. While the Big Apple Connect program currently serves some NYCHA residents, it lacks a sustainable funding model beyond its initial three-year period and leaves many low-income communities without coverage.
###