Free wi-fi comes to Times Square

7 m ago By Jason Fink

Now that chairs and tables are drawing pedestrians to a traffic-free Times Square, local officials are hoping free Wi-Fi will convince them to stay for a while.

Starting Tuesday, free wireless Internet access will be available on Broadway between 42 and 43rd streets and between 46th and 47th streets, including Duffy Square.

“It’s only fitting that visitors to the Crossroads of the World enjoy free Wi-Fi as the next step on Times Square’s journey to becoming a world-class 21st century public space,” said Tim Tompkins, the president of the Times Square Alliance, which partnered with Yahoo! on the project.

Those logging in will be taken to a portal sponsored by Yahoo! that will also include listings for nearby events and businesses.

The partnership agreement is for three years, though Alliance officials say they hope to continue the service after that.

To kick off the new service, free coffee will be served today between 8 and 11 a.m. at the plaza between 43rd and 44th.

Several other public spaces within business improvement districts offer free Wi-Fi, including Bryant Park, Bowling Green Park and Union Square.