Google and a New York redevelopment organization are providing a Manhattan neighborhood with free public Wi-Fi Internet access, making it the largest area of coverage in New York City.
The search giant and the non-profit Chelsea Improvement Co. are making Internet access available outdoors in Chelsea, which is home to Google's New York offices and several technology start-ups.
The neighborhood is also home to many students, as well as residents of one of the city's public housing developments.
"Google is proud to provide free Wi-Fi in the neighborhood we have called home for over 6 years," said Ben Fried, Google's chief information officer, in a release. "This network will not only be a resource for the 2000-plus residents of the Fulton Houses, it will also serve the 5,000-plus student population of Chelsea as well as the hundreds of workers, retail customers and tourists who visit our neighborhood every day."
Google does not plan to extend the program, a company spokesman said on Tuesday.
The company also provides free Internet access to the city of Mountain View, Calif., where its main campus is located.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer helped unveil the initiative.
(Reporting by Jennifer Saba in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler)
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NBC News also contributed to this report.