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Q&A
Feasibility of providing free internet access in city agency buildings
1:27:55
·
3 min
Council Member Gutiérrez inquires about the possibility of city agencies providing free internet access to the public in their buildings. Neelesh Shah from DCAS explains that while they don't currently offer public internet, it could be implemented with proper management and security measures.
- DCAS manages connectivity for 55 buildings, but other agencies manage their own setups
- Implementing public internet would require infrastructure changes and a cost analysis
- Cybersecurity reviews would be necessary to ensure safe implementation
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:27:55
Would you be able to speak to that about how many agencies would be capable of providing free Internet to the public?
1:28:05
Oh, we have we have to be sworn in.
1:28:10
Thank you, Irene.
1:28:12
Yeah.
Irene Byhovsky
1:28:13
Thank thank you so much.
1:28:15
I just want you to raise your right hand.
1:28:18
And do you swear and affirm to tell the truth and answer honestly to council member questions?
Andrew Rasiej
1:28:24
Yes.
1:28:24
I
Irene Byhovsky
1:28:24
will.
1:28:24
Thank you so much.
Neelesh Shah
1:28:26
So I represent IT for DKS.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:28:32
Just say your name.
1:28:33
My apologies.
Neelesh Shah
1:28:33
Yeah.
1:28:33
My name is Nilesh Shah, and I oversee the technology for DKS IT.
1:28:38
So DKS IT administers all the connectivity for our employees and, like, custodian staff who resides in these 55 buildings.
1:28:49
And other than those 55 buildings, we don't do or oversee anything else.
1:28:56
We do have tenants, other agencies who are the tenants within our buildings, and they actually manage their own Internet connectivity and setup.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:29:03
I'm sorry.
1:29:04
I the it's really hard for me to hear and hear.
1:29:08
So can you you said that what you you currently, obviously, you don't have Internet that's set up for the public.
1:29:15
Is that
Neelesh Shah
1:29:15
Yeah.
1:29:15
We don't.
1:29:16
No.
Brett Sikoff
1:29:16
Okay.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:29:19
Do of the agencies at this point, any of their infrastructure, it's set up for So
Neelesh Shah
1:29:24
we are not sure about that.
1:29:26
That I will say will be more question for OTI because they oversee the citywide connectivity.
1:29:34
We only like so DKA is we only manage like connectivity within the 55 buildings that we manage kind of.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:29:40
And are there any, thank you, are there any risks that you can speak to you think would exist if there was access provided by these city agencies to the public?
Neelesh Shah
1:29:57
I mean high level I cannot think of any risk as long as it's managed and secured right way.
1:30:04
Like you know public internet versus private internet kind of, you know.
1:30:08
So for public there's typically a different channel open for every user.
1:30:12
But those all kind of would when let's say when we do implementation with OTI, would work through go through the cyber review, like if there was a decision made to make publicly internet accessible within our 55 buildings.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:30:26
Okay.
1:30:26
And is there is there an a cost, an additional cost?
1:30:34
Like what I guess what would change about the existing contract with OTI within these city agencies to be able to provide an Internet beyond for the purpose of like the agency?
Neelesh Shah
1:30:45
So for sure there will be cost considerations like I can give you an example like when we expanded our own private Internet access within buildings, we had to install like wireless routers, we had to create separate channels.
1:30:59
Right?
1:30:59
So if we are talking here about like say public internet access in DKA's fifty five buildings, then we'll actually have to work with the ODI like a networking infrastructure team, actually do the survey and come up with the cost analysis of what would it take to install, you know, the access points across our buildings.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:31:19
Okay.
1:31:21
Okay.
1:31:21
Thank you.
1:31:22
That's it
Neelesh Shah
1:31:23
for Thank you.