New Deal Also Provides $1.2 Million in Additional Funding for Digital Literacy Programming
Continues Mayor Adams’ Commitment to Bridging Digital Divide in Under-Connected Communities
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Matthew Fraser today announced the three-year extension of ‘Big Apple Connect’ — the nation’s largest municipally subsidized broadband program — ensuring 330,000 residents across 220 New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) sites continue to receive uninterrupted, free high-speed internet and basic cable TV access through June 2028. The extension also includes $1.2 million in new funding from Optimum and Spectrum for digital literacy programming at libraries across the five boroughs and the creation of a new online hub that will provide virtual training sessions to NYCHA residents. First launched in September 2022 by Mayor Adams, Big Apple Connect is a critical piece of the Adams administration’s efforts to make the city more affordable and bridge the digital divide. The program saves subscribed households an average of more than $1,700 annually.
“By keeping 330,000 NYCHA residents connected through free high-speed broadband and cable, we’re sending a clear message: every New Yorker deserves affordable, reliable internet. Internet is not a luxury, it’s as a necessity in today’s world,” said Mayor Adams. “With this three-year extension of ‘Big Apple Connect,’ adding $1.2 million for digital literacy programs in our libraries, and launching a new webpage with virtual training sessions, we’re doing even more to bridge the digital divide and empower families with the tools they need to thrive. This extension will continue to save NYCHA households an average of more than $1,700 a year, make our city more affordable, and move us closer to a more connected and equitable New York City.”
“Since its creation three years ago, ‘Big Apple Connect’ has transformed the lives of working-class New Yorkers across the five boroughs and become the gold standard for municipal broadband initiatives,” said CTO Fraser. “Today’s three-year extension ensures more than 330,000 public housing residents will continue to have uninterrupted access to free high-speed internet and basic cable TV — reaffirming the Adams administration’s longstanding commitments to making the city more affordable and bridging the digital divide. We’re also excited to announce expanded digital literacy programming, courtesy of new investments by our corporate partners Spectrum and Optimum, that will help residents in historically underconnected communities learn how to get the most out of their time online. I credit Mayor Adams for his vision and leadership in making Big Apple Connect possible, and thank Spectrum and Optimum for their continued partnership.”
“NYCHA is dedicated to enhancing services and advancing equitable access to essential modern resources for residents," said NYCHA Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble. "We are grateful to OTI and all of our city partners for programs that contribute to substantial improvements to the quality of life for NYCHA residents.”
Big Apple Connect provides more residents with free home internet access than any other city in the nation. Prior to the program’s creation three years ago, an estimated 30 to 40 percent of NYCHA residents lacked broadband, according to internet service providers. The launch of Big Apple Connect started with 100 NYCHA sites in September 2022, expanded to more than 200 sites within the first year of the program’s creation, and is now available to 150,000 households, or approximately 330,000 NYCHA residents, at 220 developments.
As part of the new three-year agreement, the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation will continue to be billed directly for all residents enrolled in Big Apple Connect. This new deal also features additional funding from the two service providers for digital literacy programming. The contributions are expected to include additional resources for all of the city’s library system’s Neighborhood Tech Help, a digital advocacy program that offers free, easy-to-access one-on-one tech support for New Yorkers. Additionally, a new online digital literacy hub is being created to help NYCHA residents use the internet services provided by Big Apple Connect more effectively. This site will include virtual skills trainings on how to use basic internet software, apply for jobs, and create resumes. New Yorkers can view a full list of Big Apple Connect eligible NYCHA developments online.
Since its outset, the Adams administration has prioritized technology initiatives focused on bridging the digital divide. Earlier this month, Mayor Adams, CTO Fraser, and New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos announced that 350,000 public schools students would receive brand-new, free Chromebooks equipped with high-speed internet access during this school year. This internet service provided on these Chromebooks is being subsidized as part of the city's agreement with T-Mobile earlier this year to become a major wireless carrier to support city operations. Additionally, this past summer, Mayor Adams, along with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York Public Library, launched “Liberty Link,” a groundbreaking program that will deliver high-quality internet to low-income New Yorkers in 100-percent affordable housing buildings at little or no cost to tenants. Further, in March 2025, the Adams administration invested $2.4 million and released a roadmap to advance digital equity in disadvantaged communities. The city also offers free internet, device, and digital skills training access at more than 450 public computer centers across the five boroughs.
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