The city is dialing back its outdated pay phones, and replacing them with a 21st century twist.
“Link NYC” is the new digital network that’s set to replace the city’s current 8,400 pay phones.
The phones will serve as free Wi-Fi hot spots, with a radius of about 150 feet.
The kiosks will also allow New Yorkers to make free phone calls and charge electronic devices.
Officials say the city is looking to add about 10,000 booths across the five boroughs.
The mayor’s office says the network will lessen the inequality gap and provide crucial to low-income people.
The city’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications says the network could be more than 20 times as fast as average home Internet service in the city.
Officials add that a two-hour movie could be downloaded in about 30 seconds.
The private company Citybridge will foot the bill for the project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million.
They say advertising revenue from the kiosks’ digital displays will help cover the costs.
(Source: NY1)
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10 Responses
Oi Vey א בראך
They do this in London already..those famous red london phone booths are wifi hotspots
The mayor’s office says the network will lessen the inequality gap and provide crucial to low-income people.
US this guy insane?
#3: I hope there’s one blue one left for The Doctor.
The NSA is behind it.
This seems like a nice idea — almost everyone uses wifi and these booths are still there. It’s not much more expensive to install a wifi device in one of these than it is to totally remove. So, why is everyone kvetching? Do the kvetchers not use wifi?
“Officials add that a two-hour movie could be downloaded in about 30 seconds.”
Not if 100 people are standing around a hot spot all trying to simultaneously download said movie (or make a whatsapp call, or upload 150 pictures to dropbox)
I Could Understand the whole schmooze here about WiFi
its pashut like a pacemaker for some.Also how would one in an emergency situation who needs to post a comment on YW do it without the cost of data, without WiFi. Its Pikuach Nefesh!
And yes I’m the big talker! I shut my phone off in shul and periodically as well . Yes I’m in business like some of us are .I look at a person when he talks to me and not at the phone .
So call me crazy , see if I care
The “kvetchers” still use payphones.
“The mayor’s office says the network will lessen the inequality gap and provide crucial to low-income people.”
Well, of course this delusional ideologue mayor thinks so. The low-income people who cannot afford an i-phone? The only way they have phones that need a wifi and recharging hub is typically by “lifting” them off of unsuspecting people who actually bought the phones, busy on a store line or passing them by on a busy street – duhhh. Two types of people who need such a booth: 1.Someone who bought a phone, and also a recharger, and usually remembers to recharge at home or in the car but is stuck occasionally. They can certainly be charged for some recharging time – why not? No worse than a quarter in a meter. 2. Someone who just stole a phone. Therefore I hope the people on this charitable mission are also installing hidden security cameras – great place for a police to look first! Could that be the reason for the costly price tag on this project? Wishful thinking…