NYC Public Advocate pitches ‘Internet for All’ plan to expand affordable broadband citywide

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams on Tuesday called for the city to treat broadband like a public utility, unveiling a proposal that would expand affordable internet access across the five boroughs.

The proposal, which calls for public infrastructure, stronger oversight of internet providers and expanded digital equity programs, was detailed in a new report from Williams’ office arguing that internet access has become essential for education, work and healthcare, but that thousands of New Yorkers still struggle with affordability, inconsistent service or lack of access.

Williams’ office urged the city to pursue a long-term municipal broadband strategy, including building publicly owned fiber infrastructure and using city assets such as rooftops, utility poles and conduit systems. The report recommends expanding free public Wi-Fi and creating stronger tenant protections against exclusive service agreements in residential buildings.

“The internet today is as foundational and essential as any other utility, but our city has yet to treat it as such, and communities are being cut off with high prices and slow speeds,” Williams said at a press conference on Tuesday. “By leveraging existing infrastructure and building new pathways, we can create a municipal system that provides affordable and accessible internet for all.”

The proposal builds on several digital equity efforts underway in New York, such as Big Apple Connect, a program that provides free broadband service to more than 150,000 public housing residents, and Get Online NYC, a campaign that includes a website that allows residents to search for free Wi-Fi locations, digital literacy programs and technology support.

The Public Advocate’s office argued in its report that those efforts, while meaningful, do not address deeper structural issues, such as limited provider competition, uneven infrastructure deployment and long-term affordability challenges. It found disparities in internet pricing and service quality between neighborhoods, disproportionately impacting low-income households, older residents and communities of color.

The plan proposes a more utility-style model that treats broadband as essential public infrastructure operated through publicly owned fiber networks and other municipal broadband assets to help reduce the city’s dependence on private internet providers.

“In the internet age, we cannot afford to be disconnected, yet many can’t afford to connect,” Williams said at the press conference. 

The Public Advocate’s proposal also aligns with broader statewide connectivity initiatives under New York’s ConnectALL program, a more than $1 billion effort launched by Gov. Kathy Hochul to expand broadband infrastructure through federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding and a digital equity strategy focused on affordability, digital literacy and access to devices.