Building a community-owned and -operated internet network for all New Yorkers
New York, NY, June 13—Today, NYC Mesh announced the beginning of a massive expansion of its wireless broadband network in Brooklyn, allowing for greater network capacity and opening the door to potential coverage in the neighborhoods of Sunset Park, South Slope, Park Slope, Gowanus, Red Hook, and beyond. This expansion results from the completion of a major new antenna on the NYC Mesh network at Industry City, where NYC Mesh partnered with Pilot Fiber, Inc.
Prior to now, a majority of NYC Mesh’s internet bandwidth was only available in lower Manhattan at the 375 Pearl St. Supernode 1 site, which connects nearly 300 buildings scattered across lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn (the term “supernode” is used by NYC Mesh to describe a rooftop wireless antenna with a high-speed fiber connection). The new Supernode 3 at Industry City, where NYC Mesh operates out of the ColoGuard datacenter, will have nearly 50 times the capacity of Supernode 1 and the potential to serve thousands of new residential community broadband members.
“We have been working tirelessly for nearly a year to bring the Industry City supernode online,” said NYC Mesh member Zach Giles who managed the project on behalf of the organization. “NYC Mesh is the largest community-owned and -operated network in North America, and now we have good reason to believe that we’re also the fastest. We are looking forward to inviting residents of Sunset Park, South Slope, Park Slope, and beyond to joining the network. And we sincerely thank Pilot for working with us to make it happen.”
“NYC Mesh’s mission to make internet more accessible for all New Yorkers strongly aligns with our own vision to enable global access to the internet,” said Joe Fasone, Pilot CEO. “We’re excited to begin our partnership and bring more connectivity options to Brooklyn.”
In the weeks and months ahead, NYC Mesh intends to begin grassroots partnerships with community organizations and residents of the neighborhoods within the new service area to expand the network and access.
About NYC Mesh: NYC Mesh is a community-owned and -operated wireless internet network in New York City with continuous operation since 2013. The non-profit organization is committed to connecting all New Yorkers online, eliminating cost and geography as barriers to internet access, and advancing the principle of net neutrality. Since the first connection in 2013, volunteers and community members have connected nearly 300 buildings across New York City.
This community-owned and -managed network is entirely supported through generous contributions of time and funds from community members.
To learn more about NYC Mesh and the community behind it, visit www.nycmesh.net.
About Pilot Fiber: Pilot is a New York-based internet service provider on a mission to create a more sustainable telecom landscape that ensures global access to the internet. Pilot combines advanced fiber-optic technology with custom-built software and intuitively designed services, raising the bar for the entire industry. Currently serving more than 150,000 end users over its nationwide IP network, Pilot’s flexible solutions allow businesses to stop worrying about their connectivity and stay focused on what matters. For more information, visit www.pilotfiber.com.
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