Mayor of New York City in the USA has announced the New York City Internet Master Plan, a vision for affordable, high-speed, reliable broadband service across all five boroughs of the city that offers seamless connectivity at home and on the go.  With the release of the Master Plan, the administration charts a path for internet providers in the private sector to work in partnership with the City to address gaps in the market, close the digital divide and deliver universal broadband to all New Yorkers.

As part of the plan, the City will partner with internet service providers that meet the City’s principles and expand its role across all broadband components by facilitating permitting processes, optimizing City real estate like rooftops and lightpoles, and building fiber-optic lines to connect City assets. The City will initiate the plan by issuing a Universal Solicitation for Broadband (USB) to steer the relationship between the City and the private sector toward universal service with a focus on covering areas of the City that currently lack connectivity.

Current broadband subscription costs can be a burden on the budgets of low-income families. For example, 46% of New York City households living in poverty do not have broadband in the home. The Bronx has the highest percentage of residents without home broadband at almost 38%. 18 percent of residents – more than 1.5 million New Yorkers – have neither a mobile connection nor a home broadband connection.

Universal broadband that meets the City’s principles will transform the City with widespread economic benefits. Based on the City’s analysis of the economic impact of universal broadband, getting all New Yorkers connected and establishing equitable infrastructure citywide may result in up to 165,000 new jobs, a US$ 49 billion increase in personal income, and US$ 142 billion in incremental Gross City Product in 2045. While all New Yorkers will benefit from universal broadband, these impacts will be most dramatic for the people who are currently excluded from full participation in the digital economy.

The city administration hopes that public-private partnerships will help address the connectivity problems in the city. The Mayor´s office relied on research by HR&A Advisors, a company that helps develop public-private partnerships to address policy goals, as well as the following companies: CTC Energy and Technology, Hunter Roberts Construction Group, Stantec, Baller & Lide, and The New School Digital Equity Lab.