Payphones have now become a space muncher ever since the world was introduced to affordable mobile phones. What used to be the primary means of communication whilst you were out, now seems like a big obstacle in the streets.
But in New York, the mode of communication in yesteryears has now become a new and much beloved ally for commuters and pedestrians.
Last Wednesday, New York City’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications unveiled their very first payphone that serves as a WiFi hotspot. So those big and seemingly useless contraptions now serve a purpose and that is to provide New Yorkers FREE Internet!
About 10 payphones were converted into this technology as part of their pilot program. Other WiFi payphones will be rolled out sometime in the future. New York has 12,360 payphones all over the City.
New York promised through a statement that “no personal information will be gathered and no advertising will be presented as part of the pilot program.”
This means that you are secured for the remainder of the testing phase of Wifi. What about when they finally give it the go signal?
Chief Information and Innovation Officer Rahul N. Merchant said, “Expanding public access to broadband technology across the five boroughs, be it wired or wireless, is at the heart of the Bloomberg Administration’s efforts to promote greater digital inclusion for New Yorkers.”
Do you like the conversion of the phone booth into a Wifi spot then?
Image Source: thenyc.info
