Update: Prospect Park's Free Public WiFi Is On (For Laptops, at Least)

Update: After a NYC Parks department spokesperson emailed us Wednesday to say the free wifi at the Picnic House was working, Patch visited the location, and can confirm that the wifi is, in fact, on (this post was updated from outside the House itself).

However, we're only getting a wifi signal on a laptop, not a cell phone. Maybe it's us, but if not, we'll find out why.

PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN — What good is a free public wifi hub that doesn't work?

In June, the city's Department of Parks and Recreation announced with much fanfare that AT&T would be providing five more years of free wifi in and around the Picnic House building at Prospect Park. (AT&T has provided wifi and "street charging" units in a variety of city parks since 2011.)

But on Monday, Sept. 27, a tipster told Patch that the Picnic House wifi wasn't working. Patch visited the location on both Monday and Tuesday, and indeed: No free public networks were available.

The plot thickened, however, when Grace McCreight, a spokeswoman for the Prospect Park Alliance, told Patch on Tuesday that the park's IT manager "checked the Picnic House wifi, and it is still on. It is the free AT&T network, and is available to connect to."

We've reached out to NYC Parks for more information. In the meantime, tell us: Has the Prospect Park wifi been working for you?

Pictured at top: The Picnic House. Photos by John V. Santore