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Q&A
Council Member Gutiérrez questions OTI on Wi-Fi in parks and the Internet Master Plan
1:58:45
·
4 min
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez engages in a discussion with Brett Sikoff from the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) about Wi-Fi availability in city parks and the status of the Internet Master Plan. The conversation reveals tensions between current initiatives and previous plans, with Gutiérrez expressing concern about the apparent abandonment of the Internet Master Plan.
- Gutiérrez inquires about Wi-Fi in parks, learning it's part of a franchise agreement and a separate gift agreement with AT&T
- The council member criticizes the decision to abandon the Internet Master Plan, arguing for its value and vision
- OTI officials defend their current approach while acknowledging some alignment with previous plans
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:58:45
I just have one kind of off question, which is about Wi Fi in parks.
1:58:51
Can you share with me if that is part of a franchise agreement?
Brett Sikoff
1:58:55
So there's standing there's a couple of initiatives in the parks.
1:58:59
Related to the cable franchise agreement from many, many years ago, there's a limited free WiFi that's made available by the cable companies at certain parks.
1:59:09
I think it's like 120 parks around the city.
1:59:11
So you get three free ten minute sessions, I believe, and then you can pay for a day pass
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:59:16
if you search You said it is part of the franchise agreement?
Brett Sikoff
1:59:18
It's it's, I believe, a side letter to the cable franchise agreement from, like, 02/2010 or something.
1:59:24
It it goes back always.
1:59:26
So I don't know if it's in the core of the franchise agreement, but it was it was a commitment made by the cable companies to provide Parks WiFi.
1:59:33
That's in addition to
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:59:34
From 2010, you think?
Brett Sikoff
1:59:35
I'd have to look back at the year.
1:59:36
It's been a minute.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:59:37
Sorry, this is yours.
1:59:38
Okay.
1:59:39
Okay.
Brett Sikoff
1:59:39
And that's in addition to a separate agreement that the Parks Department has with AT and T.
1:59:44
It's in the form of a gift agreement to provide WiFi service.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:59:46
That's a gift agreement with AT and T.
1:59:48
Okay.
1:59:49
So that's a question for Parks.
1:59:50
Okay.
1:59:52
I wanna thank you all for your time.
1:59:53
I hope that we can have further discussions on all the bills, particularly the Internet master plan.
1:59:59
It sounds based on kind of what you've shared here today, what I know, what what I've read from the the the digital road map.
2:00:05
There are so many elements that you all have, you know, thoughtfully put together that I think were included.
2:00:13
There could have been an opportunity to run parallel to the Internet master plan.
2:00:17
And the intention and the reason that it has the support and the reason that the bill's even been endorsed by other by outside of my colleagues, but just stakeholders that you already work with is because it provided a vision and longevity that outlived administrations, egos, visions, all of that.
2:00:35
And I think I understand that there is, you know, this this assessment from the agency about the realities of the need for infrastructure.
2:00:43
But what we are trying to achieve is guaranteed to the best of our ability, connectivity, devices, Internet for every single New Yorker.
2:00:53
It is obviously, you know this.
2:00:54
This is a necessity.
2:00:56
And I'm hearing from more and more people about how they are making the difficult decision of not paying for Internet, you know, letting their phone contracts lapse because the cost of food is so high, the public the cost of public health care of childcare is so expensive.
2:01:11
And I think it's an opportunity for New York City to shine because those are what our values are.
2:01:16
So to say that there is an absolute abandonment of an in Internet master plan, but then run this in this, like, road map that is in many ways highlights a lot of what was in there, I think is disingenuous.
2:01:29
And I hope that we can work together to really create something that has longevity beyond an administration, beyond a mayor, beyond a council member because that is really what we deserve.
Brett Sikoff
2:01:38
Yeah.
2:01:38
No.
2:01:39
Thank you for that, council member.
2:01:40
I I would just sum up by saying our goals are certainly aligned.
2:01:43
Everything you just described is very much at the forefront of what we're trying to do, not only with Big Apple Connect, but with all the initiatives.
2:01:49
I don't want to minimize the impact that the roadmap has already and will continue to have at bridging, ultimately bridging the digital divide.
2:01:56
It addresses everything you talked about in terms of access to devices and affordable access to the Internet, digital literacy training, digital education.
2:02:06
All those things are addressed, but there's certainly more that
Jennifer Gutiérrez
2:02:08
And those are all things that were in the Internet master plan.
Brett Sikoff
2:02:10
Some elements which I I addressed are are
Jennifer Gutiérrez
2:02:13
I'm just trying to distinguish what is real and what is, like, ego of this mayor to say, this is my thing.
2:02:19
I don't wanna hear anything from the previous administration.
2:02:21
And he can do whatever he wants.
2:02:22
Any mayor can do whatever they want.
2:02:24
But there is value in that plan.
2:02:26
There is value in the hours spent that every single stakeholder and expert put into that plan is what I'm saying.
Brett Sikoff
2:02:31
Yep.
2:02:31
We agree that there are certain elements of it that should and is being considered.
2:02:38
And you see it in the as you acknowledge, you see it in the road map.
2:02:41
So we do look forward to sitting down with you and seeing if there's ways that we can help, you know, accentuate some of the already existing initiatives and maybe come up with some new stuff going forward.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
2:02:51
I thank you all for being with us.
2:02:53
Thank you.