AT&T making tourists even more annoying with free Times Square WiFi
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 25th 2010 7:30AM
posted May 25th 2010 7:30AM
[Photo courtesy of MarkArms]
AT&T Launches Pilot Wi-Fi Project in Times Square
New Wi-Fi Hotzone Prototype to Help New Yorkers and Visitors Stay Connected in "America's Crossroads," One of the Busiest Locations in the World
New York, New York, May 25, 2010
AT&T* today announced the launch of an AT&T Wi-Fi "hotzone" in New York City's bustling Times Square, providing coverage for many AT&T customers visiting and residing in New York who use Wi-Fi enabled smartphones, laptops, netbooks and other devices. The new Wi-Fi coverage zone is a pilot deployment to explore the use of Wi-Fi to provide an additional mobile broadband option in areas with consistently high 3G traffic and mobile data use.
AT&T has installed Wi-Fi service in the north central part of Times Square, near 7th Avenue between 45th and 47th Street, to provide a large outdoor hotspot zone that AT&T users can access using any Wi-Fi enabled device. The AT&T Wi-Fi hotzone at Times Square is available at no additional charge for nearly 32 million AT&T customers with qualifying smartphone, 3G LaptopConnect and AT&T High Speed Internet plans.
AT&T is using wireless technologies to mobilize everything that's important to customers - their favorite content, apps, entertainment and social networks. AT&T today delivers the nation's fastest 3G wireless network as well as the nation's largest Wi-Fi network, giving customers the best combination of speed and coverage.
"Whether they're emailing photos and videos to friends back home, downloading a restaurant review, or ordering discount Broadway tickets online, people in Times Square want the mobile broadband connection that lets them get the most done in the least amount of time," said John Donovan, AT&T chief technology officer. "With this pilot AT&T Wi-Fi hotzone, we're examining new ways to combine our Wi-Fi and 3G networks to help ensure that AT&T customers in Times Square always have a fast mobile broadband connection to do what matters most to them. It's another example of how AT&T is exploring the ideal blend of technologies to maximize the mobile experience for our customers in New York City."
While managing nationwide mobile data traffic growth of 5,000 percent over the past three years, AT&T has made significant investments and driven a number of new innovations to deliver the best possible customer experience. Examples of these innovations include AT&T 3G MicroCell devices to expand in-home coverage; Distributed Antenna System networks to extend 3G coverage in stadiums, convention halls and other areas where people congregate; and temporary network enhancements to support one-time events and emergency situations.
Based on the results from the pilot location, AT&T may deploy additional hotzones in other areas across the country where more ubiquitous Wi-Fi availability may be beneficial for customers.
The popularity of Wi-Fi service - particularly on mobile phones - has grown tremendously. In the first quarter, AT&T handled 53.1 million Wi-Fi connections on its network, which is nearly five times higher than the same quarter last year.
Many of the most popular AT&T smartphones support auto-authentication at AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots, making it automatic and convenient for customers to connect. In the first quarter of 2010, the majority of AT&T Wi-Fi connections (69 percent) were made from smartphones and integrated devices, up from 35 percent a year ago in the first quarter of 2009.
AT&T's Wi-Fi network complements its wired broadband and wireless 3G networks, offering Wi-Fi connectivity in more than 20,000 U.S. locations - including retail stores, restaurants and coffee shops from coast-to-coast. A full list of AT&T Wi-Fi locations is available at www.attwifi.com.
Largest Wi-Fi network claim based on non-municipal company and owned and operated hotspots. An 802.11 b/g enabled device required.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
Free Wifi... I approve
@BuryTheCastle
Hey engadget editors who live in New York, get over yourself. We don't care about your elitist problems.
@Saad the other one
I'll stay out of NY, you stay away from my state's beaches.
@Saad the other one And we don't care about your lack of problems, redneck.
@Saad the other one
We? Who, the fat peds with an ice cream in one hand and camera in the other who come to gawk at a culture they don't belong in?
@Failbait - hm, your name is oddly fitting...
@Failbait LOL!
@BuryTheCastle : New Yorkers have their own side of the street? :) (bad-ass)
They are annoyed when there is no service and annoyed when there is fast service, just can't win
@BuryTheCastle
Wait.. so Engadget expects NYC Tourists to all be buying smartphones over there on AT&T and then dawdling around in the way even more?
I get the issue, people hanging around when it's already congested, but don't blame the tourists. Very few of them will step off the plane and pick up an iPhone to use just for the extent of their holiday...
@BuryTheCastle
I don't get why Engadget is bitching all of a sudden. I don't care for AT&T's service but it seems like they just can't win. Everyone's always complaining about their lackluster service and now they try to provide a solution and you complain that more people will be free to use their phones properly for once? Can we at least get some consistency?
Oh and stow the elitist bull. Nobody cares. We all have places to go. I lived in DC and downtown San Francisco (both big tourist areas) and you know what we do when people walk slow? We go around. Yeah. You should try it, it works wonders.
@horizontaleight
That was a good burn. Well done.
@horizontaleight
lol Im actually going to NY this summer for a few months
Should be interesting....maybe I can catch an Engadget Show or two while up there.
@sfox8 Clearly you've never lived in NYC. "Going around" is not an option in the touristy parts of town. You are locked in a small, moving pocket that travels at half the pace of a normal walk. However, I simply avoid Times Square at all costs. That works wonders : )
@sfox8 Normally I would agree that it's elitist but it can get unwalkably crowded in NYC during tourist season if you work in a part of town that's popular with tourists. Some part of Manhattan (largely the parts downtown) have sidewalks and streets made hundreds of years ago so they're insanely narrow. And it's not just tourists, there's the throngs of people trying to get to work in front of you as well.
Basically there's no such thing as "going around" and if you don't believe me feel free to try and "go around" the crowds in Chinatown in July.
@trm2124
I know what you mean, really I do. And I go to NYC many, many times a year so I know how it is. Even then, when I have to deal with that kind of crap in DC, SF or NY I always end up pushing my way through the crowd or something close to it.
If you got somewhere to go, you'll do what it takes to get there on time. Nobody's going to fault you for pushing through a crowd if they're moving at a sluggish pace. You're never going to see these people again anyway and maybe that will teach them not to slow down in the middle of the sidewalk to stare up at a building.
All I'm saying is, complaining about it isn't going to do anything. If your business is so much more important than everyone else's then either go around, push through or find another way to get to your destination instead. I'm not going to complain about people just trying to enjoy their vacation. I'm happy they chose my city of all places to spend their free time.
@Brokinarrow
I've heard that "joke" 500 times. You think I accidentally ended up with the word fail in the title?
Ass clown.
@Failbait
Since when did a naked Cowboy playing a guitar equal culture? Just because you live in New York doesn't mean you're cultured.
@Saad the other one
This Article is written by Thomas Ricker renowned for his sense of humour.
I suggest you get one.
Incidentally Thomas lives in the Netherlands so get your facts right.
@UberAdept
its said matter-of-factly which makes it not funny.We all have places to go. If you don't like tourists, move out of tourist destination :P
I've never been that successful with Free AT&T hotspots...:-/
Can I be on the New Yorker side? I live in New York just not NYC.
@jjrudey I live in London but I can do a pretty decent New York accent, can I be on the New Yorker side?
@Aggot I've actually never heard a New York accent in real life. only NYC has the funny accent.
@jjrudey I guess you've never been to Buffalo... they have their own accent
@robamb2002 We do not!!! :P
@robamb2002 haha that's where I live, everyone's accent is different
Is it secure?
@pika2000
Is anything in New York secure? (yeah I said it, flame on bitches)
Holy elitist New Yorker batman! Tourist lane legislation? How about a few "Get over yourself" PSAs. If you're too important to be bothered walking around people then get a helicopter. If you can't pull a helicopter then maybe you aren't as important as you think. More wifi sounds like a good thing to me.
@Eric Hoffstetter I absolutely agree. Maybe those NYers would enjoy paying even more taxes once all the tourist money leaves.
@Eric Hoffstetter
First, as others have mentioned the separate lane was a work of art/joke.
And honestly if you don't have to walk through Times Square on a regular basis you can't imagine what a pain in the ass it is. The sidewalks in the areas in and around Times Square are often solidly packed with people. The problem isn't tourists really, it's tourists (and NYers too) who don't realize (or don't care) that a completely packed sidewalk is not a good place to suddenly stop and pull out your camera/cellphone/map without stepping off to the side somewhere (and there are okay spots to pull off to the side). Imagine if people stopped their cars in the middle of a busy street with no warning.
Do the tourists get more blame than NYers who do essentially the same thing? Probably. But a little common courtesy would definitely be a good thing.
New Yorkers, when taking that Zipcar trip up to the Hudson Valley please remember to bring your Tourist Inner Tube. Think of it as your own personal space buffer. We've got plenty of space here so there's no reason to sit on a local's lap when talking on your phone or reading an e-book.
When I'm in the city I'll remember to use that tourist lane. Deal? Deal.
@Shalabi
Maybe we should make them walk in this one
http://blog.petegraham.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/fat-lane.jpg
I love Banksy.
i hate condescending, elitist new yorkers.
Atlanta next, please.
Anyone willing to help out a tourist and lend me there AT&T number while I reside in NYC?
The entire times square has had free Wifi for a while now courtesy "Times Square Alliance" and Yahoo.
PS. That streetwalk the work of a lone, random artist.
@kervin
Indeed, would love a "fast lane" btw, hate it when people just stand still, or forget to cross the street...
But anyway, TS has had free WiFi for ages...
Why you hate the tourist?
@Engadget
Don't you worry Engadget. I'm sure soon enough airport security and other authorities will come up with a plan to annoy the tourists right back. Then you can call it even again.
People, the Tourist Lane thing was a joke.
@Don Corleone
was their general elitist attitude and apparant misunderstanding of how wifi taking users off the 3G network would aid a joke? Seriously - since you are the wiser, I want to know.
@Don Corleone we know the picture is clearly a joke. The author's elitist comments are what's got everyone in a tizzy.
While I do appreciate the tongue-in-cheek, some NY residents are mighty resentful of tourists, although chances are that they too, were once a NY tourist. If it. Wasn't for the booming tourism in NYC, they wouldn't have the revenue to do all of the things that make the city so amazing. Take the good wit the bad
@archa1c
It's not resentment for most I know. It's that the driving tourists have no clue how NYC traffic flows (it's not for the timid), they haven't taken some time to adjust their minds and eyes to the easy-to-understand structure and scale of most Manhattan streets and buildings and they try to run around capturing NYC in a few short days at the pace that NYers who know the city move around. Unless you're in a time crunch or feel comfortable underground, avoid the subway, stay street level, don't look like a tourist(!) and just explore...safely.
I'd love this to be in Union sq too. I can never make a 3G call there, always have to dumb down to edge.
@optomic
Calls don't go over 3G...
@BigJayDogg3
How does it not?
@BigJayDogg3
Calls may not use 3G data, but there are benefits to having 3G while on a call, like being able to use data and voice at the same time, which EDGE doesn't support.