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NYC To Replace Most of Its Payphones With Free Gigabit WiFi In 2015

Posted by Soulskill on from the gotta-head-to-the-payphone-to-torrent-something dept.

mrspoonsi writes: New York City announced today it has picked the companies that will deliver the technology behind its deployment of free, gigabit Wi-Fi to pay phone stations throughout the city. The LinkNYC stations will also include charging outlets, touchscreen displays that interface with city services, and free U.S. calling. It will be funded through advertising. Construction will begin in 2015, and officials expect up to 10,000 stations to be installed before it's done.

3 of 106 comments (clear)

  1. expect verizon and at&t to sue by alen · · Score: 4, Interesting

    NYC is taking away their data overages money

  2. Municipal WiFi by sheddd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Can be a lot cheaper than other ways of spying; Associate a person with wireless MAC's or shudder their Facebook account and you've got NSA class intel, and better location data.

  3. Re:There are still any payphones to replace ? by operator_error · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That YouTube video points out each cellphone currently generates $40 - 60K annually in services. Also, it says the most valuable asset that these units offer is the pre-existing infrastructure of power and telecommunication cables. They're not going anywhere, although collecting coins to complete phone calls might not happen much longer.