According to Guinness World Records, Mexico Metropolis is now the most linked city on the planet. The capital city triumphed over Moscow in second place, Seoul in third, and Tokyo in fourth place, thanks to its 21,500 free internet access points.
“Technology does not make sense if it isn’t for the benefit of the inhabitants, especially the most marginalized of our city,” stated Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum.
The Government also stated that free Wi-Fi access points would be extended to a variety of sites, including public elementary and middle schools, as well as city institutions.
According to José Antonio Pea Merino, the head of the Digital Public Innovation Agency, the city’s explosion of free Wi-Fi access began three years ago, when there were just 98 public internet hotspots available. Residents paid “zero pesos” for the initiative, according to Pea.
“On the contrary, we have saved 864 million [pesos] on city internet contracts over the last two years,” Pea added, equating to $41.8 million in today’s dollars.
Telmex, the telecommunications behemoth owned by Carlos Slim, according to Forbes magazine, Latin America’s richest man, provides the city’s free internet network.
Every week, 2.8 million people connect to the internet for free, consuming 3.3 terabytes of data, the equivalent of 58 million high-definition videos or 17.5 million photographs, according to Rodolfo Alberto Sánchez Garca, Telmex’s commercial director.
More than 84 million Mexicans used the internet in 2020, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). Residents in urban areas used the internet 78.3 percent of the time, compared to 50.3 percent in rural areas.
Other Cities With Free Public Wi-fi Everywhere
Barcelona
When you visit Barcelona, you can relax on the beach, tour Gaudi’s beautiful architecture, eat pintxos, and drink red wine–all while updating your Instagram to show the rest of the world how much fun you’re having.
This northern Spanish city features a robust free public Wi-Fi network, with hotspots dotted across the city, from beaches to markets, museums, and even street signs and lampposts.
Perth
Although Perth is one of the world’s most remote state capitals, it doesn’t mean you’ll have to disconnect while visiting this western Australian metropolis.
The municipal government has installed a Wi-Fi network that spans the majority of the city center, and unlike most cafes, airports, and even hotels in the country, it is free for tourists (albeit you may need to reconnect from time to time).
Seoul
The city of South Korea has long been famed for its speedy Internet, and now it’s bringing it to the streets. A vast network of hotspots is being installed throughout this linked metropolis, including at Itaewon Airport, the well-known Gangnam neighborhood, parks, museums, and other locations. You may go online for free in cabs, buses, and subways.
