New York City Is Dismantling Low-Cost Community Broadband

New York City is shutting down NYC Mesh, a community-run low-cost broadband network that provided affordable internet access to underserved areas. The network relied on a decentralized model where users helped expand it. The city's Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) cited safety concerns and a lack of proper permits for the dismantling. It’s being replaced by a $90 million, three-year government subsidy, called “Big Apple Connect” that instead gives a contract to big internet providers Optimum and Spectrum Communications (Charter). Critics argue that the city should work with community broadband providers like NYC Mesh to expand internet access, rather than shutting them down. This move is seen as a blow to efforts to bridge the digital divide and provide affordable internet access to those who need it most.