New York City’s airports need to get out of the Stone Age and start offering free WiFi to travelers, like most of the rest of the country– according to a new resolution by future Manhattan borough president Gale Brewer.
Brewer introduced the resolution in the City Council to put the heat on the Port Authority to offer free internet services at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Currently, it costs $ 4.95 per hour to go online at the three airports, and $ 7.95 for a day.
Brewer says that free Wi-Fi is particularly important since many fliers use paperless tickets on their cell phones and tablets.
“Offering free Wi-Fi access is an important step to ensure that visitors and residents of New York are connected, and that New York City remains at the forefront of the digital revolution,” she said in a statement.
The Port Authority entered into a 15-year contract with Boingo in 1999 to have them exclusively provide Wi-Fi at three New York-area airports.
The bill would require the Port Authority to amend its contract so that Boingo provides free Wi-Fi access.
Boingo provides free Wi-Fi at other airports, using advertising to cover the costs.
The resolution draws upon research by the Global Gateway Alliance on airports that offer WiFi nationally—and shows how New York lags behind.
“We’re thrilled that Council Member Brewer is working to bring free WiFi to millions of passengers, but it’s outrageous that it takes City legislature to force a simple amenity that is good for customers, for our brand and our economy,” said Chairman Joe Sitt. “We urge the City Council to pass the bill overwhelmingly, and the Port Authority to act on it.”
Yahoo Local News – New York Post
http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info/?p=15431
via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info
No comments:
Post a Comment