Marissa Shorenstein
New York State President, AT&T
Dear Friends:
Summer is in full swing — and we couldn’t be more excited to offer New Yorkers several unique summertime initiatives to keep you safe and connected while you have fun in the sun!
Whether you’re relaxing in one of New York City’s many outdoor spaces or rushing through the streets to get to your destination, we are committed to providing you with the most reliable 4G LTE network whenever and wherever you are—keeping you connected to things that matter to you most.
Here are a few ways we’re keeping you connected this summer:
AT&T Street Charge
AT&T Street Charge solar powered mobile charging stations launched for a second year in a row in May. The initiative offers a solution to New Yorkers who are always on the go and need to remain connected, providing them with a free charge to their mobile device across the five boroughs.
We have set up charging units in more than 20 parks, beaches and outdoor gathering spots throughout the city, offering a quick charge to users’ phones, tablets and similar devices.
AT&T Street Charge grew out of a need for a sustainable power source in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and took on a life of its own when we deployed more than two dozen solar-powered units across the city last summer.
After receiving such positive feedback about last year's program, we doubled the number of units — 45 in total — to provide a sustainable solution to keep people connected while they enjoy the sun and summer months.
We made some additional upgrades to the units to make them more weather resistant, able to withstand higher usage and ensure users have the best experience possible while charging.
Learn more about AT&T Street Charge and where to find your nearest charging unit here.
WiFi in the Parks
Complementing AT&T Street Charge, AT&T’s Wi-Fi in the Parks initiative provides free Wi-Fi to New York City park goers — regardless of their provider — in more than 25 parks locations across all five boroughs.
We recently announced that free Wi-Fi is now available at the High Line between 14th and 16th streets as part of this popular initiative.
Connected Intersections
Building on AT&T’s national efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving, we are committed to improving New Yorkers’ commutes across all modes of transportation, be it walking, riding, driving or using mass transit. Part of that commitment is helping to improve safety on New York City streets.
In June, AT&T, along with NYU Poly, NYC Media Lab and Challenge Post, launched Connected Intersections, a challenge focused on creating technological solutions to improve traffic safety on city streets and in other urban environments using the collective power of the city's transportation, technology and academic and advocacy communities.
The challenge focuses on making the roads safer by taking advantage of smartphone sensors, phone-to-phone communications and natural user interfaces, among other technologies, to help create smart and useable solutions.
To kick-off the initiative, AT&T and NYC Media Lab released a paper, titled “Exploring How Mobile Technologies Impact Pedestrian Safety,” which draws on research from around the country to examine smartphone distraction and other impediments to traffic safety.
According to the paper, recent statistics show New York City pedestrian fatalities in car crashes were four times greater than the national average. “Driver inattention” was cited by the NYPD as the cause of about a third of all crashes. In 2012, New York City experienced 10,925 crashes between pedestrians and cars, and in 2013, there were 14,845 pedestrian-car crashes. Researchers believe many of these types of crashes are occurring because pedestrians and drivers are distracted by their smartphones or other electronic devices instead of paying attention to the road.
We are looking for developers, designers, technologists and UX/UI/IxD professionals to create solutions to improve traffic safety and reduce collisions in NYC, and are looking forward to unveiling participants’ submissions at the end of the challenge in October.
Learn more about Connected Intersections and how to register for the challenge here.
Whether it’s a day at the beach, a picnic in the park or a trip across the city from one meeting to the next, AT&T wants to keep you safe and connected. I am excited about our innovative summertime initiatives and hope to see New Yorkers getting a quick charge on the go, connecting online in a park or creating the next street-safety technology over the next few months!
Sincerely,
Marissa Shorenstein
New York State President, AT&T
