Fibre everywhere with NYC broadband plan
New York’s internet infrastructure could be said to be severely lacking: some 1.5 million people - 18% of city residents – don’t have a home broadband connection, according American Community Survey data (2017). That includes almost half of all homes below the poverty line, and 38 percent of Bronx residents. Broadband subscription costs exceed low-income families’ budgets.
The city will invest in open-access infrastructure, provide seed investments, and leverage public-private partnerships to install, operate, and maintain the infrastructure. Open-access fibre infrastructure built out to nearly every street intersection with an aggregation point in every neighbourhood will help lower costs, increase competition, minimize disruption, and stimulate private-sector investments. Infrastructure development is to be prioritised for neighbourhoods with low levels of commercial fibre service. In addition to FTTH, the fibre network will be overlaid with a neutral radio access network capable of providing mobile wireless service.
Private companies that partner with the city will install, operate, and maintain infrastructure and equipment and offer services directly to subscribers. Access will be provided to rooftops and light poles, and fibre lines will be built between city assets.
Building the required citywide infrastructure is expected to cost $2.1 billion. A large part of the construction could be realised by pulling fibre through existing underground conduits and combining this with aerial fibre. It is not yet clear how long implementation will take, although full realization should require a few years.
