Lawmakers and residents rally against LinkNYC 5G kiosks

LinkNYC 5G kiosks are part of a citywide program to provide free high-speed internet and other services to people in the city. Stretching more than 30 feet in the air, the kiosks offer free Wi-Fi, free charging, nationwide phone service, and other digital services. Some residents of Carnegie Hill on the Upper East Side say new LinkNYC 5G towers are slated there too, and would violate the historic look of the neighborhood, which stretches from East 86th Street to East 96th Street and from Third Avenue to Central Park. The installation of the 32-footers started in July 2022, and the agreement with the city requires the overwhelming bulk of the new kiosks to be built north of 96th Street in Manhattan or outside of Manhattan. But opponents, including elected leaders, say there are other options that are less obtrusive and more aesthetically pleasing.