Mexico Metropolis is the most connected city in the world, according to Guinness World Records. With 21,500 free Internet access points, the capital city beat out Moscow in second place, Seoul in third, and Tokyo in fourth place.
“Technology cannot make sense if it does not benefit the city’s residents, especially the most marginalized,” said Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum.
In addition, the government announced that free Wi-Fi access points would be offered at a number of locations, including 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 began three years ago, when only 98 public hotspots were available. According to Pea, residents paid “zero pesos” for the initiative.
“In fact, we have saved 864 million [pesos] on city internet contracts over the last two years,” Pea said, equal to $41.8 million in today’s dollars.
Latin America’s richest man, Carlos Slim, owns the telecommunications behemoth Telmex, which provides the city’s free internet service.
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
Despite Perth being one of the world’s most remote capital cities, you won’t have to disconnect when visiting this Western Australian metropolis.
Wi-Fi has been installed by the municipal government throughout the city center, and unlike most cafes, airports, and hotels in the country, it is available at no charge to tourists (although you may be required to reconnect from time to time).
Seoul
Speedy Internet has long been a hallmark of South Korea, and now it’s coming to the streets. We are installing a vast network of hotspots throughout this linked metropolis, including at Itaewon Airport, the well-known Gangnam neighborhood, parks, museums, and other places. During cab rides, bus rides, and subway rides, you are able to surf the web for free.