The Bulletin

No WiFi Zones: Oasis in the connected city?

Posting in Cities

When your city has an abundance of free WiFi signals it can help tourists navigate different parts of the city and connect residents with local businesses that might have not come across otherwise. Both are good for the local economy. But free WiFi seems to be all around us. In New York City, for example, the city hopes to have a citywide WiFi network in public places. But at what point do we reach peak WiFi? Peak connected city?

Nestlé Kit Kat -- yes, the candy brand --  thinks Amsterdam, at least, has enough free WiFi hotspots. So in a new advertising campaign the company is making light of the overly connected city with "Free No WiFi Zones."

The advertisement, created by JWT Amsterdam, isn't just a bench without WiFi. It actually blocks all wireless signals within 5 meters of the zone. "so people could escape e-mails, updates, tags or likes," the advertisers explain.

It's just an advertisement, but as our cities become more connected will these technology-free spaces become commonplace?

[Via Pop-Up City and Ads of the World]

— By on January 23, 2013, 12:50 AM PST

Tyler Falk

Contributing Editor
