AT&T has launched a WiFi “hotzone” in New York City’s Times Square, providing coverage for many of its customers with WiFi-enabled devices visiting and residing in New York. The new WiFi coverage zone is a pilot deployment to explore the use of WiFi to provide an additional mobile broadband option in areas with consistently high 3G traffic and mobile data use. In other words, AT&T knows its network sucks and tries to fix it with WiFi.
Anyway, the WiFi service is installed in the north central part of Times Square, near 7th Avenue between 45th and 47th Street. It 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.
Based on the results from the pilot location, AT&T may deploy additional hotzones in other areas across the country where more ubiquitous WiFi availability may be beneficial for customers.
At the moment, AT&T offers WiFi 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 WiFi locations is available from here.