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Big Apple to turn old payphones into Wi-Fi HotSpots

Big Apple to turn old payphones into Wi-Fi HotSpots

Posted: 11 Jul 2012, 16:36, by Alan F.

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Tags : Wireless service -Wireless service +

Big Apple to turn old payphones into Wi-Fi HotSpots

Soon the Big Apple will be littered with Wi-Fi HotSpots

Once associated with New York City, and the star of a feature length movie (ok, maybe Colin Farell was the star), payphones have become moot ever since mobile phones started to be used by everyone. Up until then, the payphone was the form of telephonic communications for those on the go. Unfortunately it required users to carry around a ton of change, wait in line, and hope that they got to the phone before the vandals did. So what could the City do with all of these payphones that are not needed?

New York City has decided to turn its old payphones into Wi-Fi HotSpots that will be free for visitors and residents alike. The program will start with ten locations in three boroughs, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. The latter has six of the ten HotSpots with more coming soon. Check the sourcelink for the current locations. The HotSpots have been outfitted with military grade antennas with a range of 300 feet. Each installation costs $2000 which is being provided by Van Wagner Communications, the company which owns many of the unused payphones. Right now, to access the HotSpots requires signing on to the City's tourism site and agreeing to the TOS. Right now, the service contains no advertising, but that might change as more payphones are converted. There are a total of 13,000 payphones in the Big Apple.

source: NYCGov, via GIGaom

23 Comments

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posted on 11 Jul 2012, 16:41 6

1. Brewski (Posts: 425; Member since: 05 Jun 2012)

Um, I'm confused. Is 13,0000 = Thirteen thousand (13,000) or One Hundred and Thirty thousand (130,000)?

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 21:41

17. Synack (Posts: 682; Member since: 05 Jul 2011)

Wouldn't that be funny for The Doc and Marty to come to 2012 from the past and try to use a payphone just to find out it's an internet hotspot for devices that don't even know what they are!

posted on 13 Jul 2012, 16:58

22. SonyFTW2020 (Posts: 311; Member since: 03 May 2012)

hahahahah who would think of that..... ROFL

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 16:44 3

2. SuperAndroidEvo (Posts: 4888; Member since: 15 Apr 2011)

This is a GREAT idea. Leave it to the BIG APPLE a.k.a NYC to make the most of what they got. I love it so much. This is good news to all New Yorkers.

I love the Empire State.

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 17:49

9. MobileCaseReview (Posts: 242; Member since: 10 Feb 2012)

Yeah, I doubt this is going to happen in Los Angeles any time soon. The amount of ground LA covers is so vast compared to NYC.

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 19:03

13. EclipseGSX (Posts: 1743; Member since: 18 Oct 2011)

OH NO, Are you going to see King Kong there?

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 20:16 1

16. SuperAndroidEvo (Posts: 4888; Member since: 15 Apr 2011)

You kidding me right? Where are you from so I can pick a monster that most likely would be from your neck of the woods.

You still bent out of shape with that Godzilla thing? Didn't other people say to you that you were over reacting?

Now today you are really going to bring that up? lol

posted on 12 Jul 2012, 09:21 1

20. good2great (Posts: 1042; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)

haha he actually followed u here to remind you of what you said about Godzilla in china?? haha

now thats funny...

somebody dislikes you......... uh oh! lol

posted on 12 Jul 2012, 09:45

21. SuperAndroidEvo (Posts: 4888; Member since: 15 Apr 2011)

I am by no means racist but the people who call out people like that are usually racist.

It was a funny joke & I don't know if he knows but Godzilla IS from Japan. I meant no harm but I guess I must be that important to him to follow me & keep talking about it. lol

Should I call him racist for the King Kong comment, I mean he did EXACTLY the same thing I did. Right? lol

+1

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 16:53 2

3. akita256 (Posts: 81; Member since: 26 Jan 2012)

Yeh, Brewshi, once again...........an article on PA needs proof-reading before being published.

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 17:13

6. inertiatic (Posts: 34; Member since: 29 May 2012)

I see what you did there, with spelling his name wrong.

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 16:54 1

4. good2great (Posts: 1042; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)

yes... now this is innovation... :-)

every state should do this...

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 17:49 5

10. Republican (Posts: 99; Member since: 05 Apr 2012)

What? Why? No, we are broke. More handouts to lazy welfare bums who want everything for free? Absolutely not.

posted on 12 Jul 2012, 09:19

19. good2great (Posts: 1042; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)

lol... thats pretty much what android gets you... a work around for anything that costs $$$ to have it for free...

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 17:11 2

5. JC557 (Posts: 1794; Member since: 07 Dec 2011)

As someone born and raised in NYC this is a great idea as we could always use Wifi now that Unlimited Data is on its way out. However it would be wise to leave quite a few payphones in place as I've seen many still using them, by people whose phones have died, those that can't afford or don't have cell phones, subway riders, and when something happens where cell service is knocked out (black out of 2003 or 9/11).

posted on 13 Jul 2012, 17:02

23. SonyFTW2020 (Posts: 311; Member since: 03 May 2012)

yea man i mean do some but not ALLL you cant just replace things becuase you feel it is in best interest for certain people... Like you said others still use the payphones so you would to leave some for them!! come on new york...

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 17:23 3

7. jmoita2 (Posts: 930; Member since: 23 Dec 2011)

Now, that's an amazing idea!!! Thumbs up, NYC!!!

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 17:34 3

8. Republican (Posts: 99; Member since: 05 Apr 2012)

More squandering of taxpayer resources. Wifi must be completely deregulated and provided only to those who can pay for it. The worst part is, it will atract poor and unwashed people in troves.

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 18:53 3

11. PapaSmurf (Posts: 10457; Member since: 14 May 2012)

You're really living up to your name.

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 19:44

14. Jay_F (Posts: 236; Member since: 29 Nov 2011)

You're honestly saying that WiFi will attract bums? Do you have any idea how stupid you sound right now?

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 22:03 2

18. Whateverman (Posts: 3284; Member since: 17 May 2009)

He has no idea how stupid he sounds. Let's just thumb him down until he disappears.

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 19:02

12. EclipseGSX (Posts: 1743; Member since: 18 Oct 2011)

Pfff Kiefer Sutherland aka Jack Bauer was the star what are you smoking

posted on 11 Jul 2012, 20:12

15. InspectorGadget80 (unregistered)

This is awesome. now i don't have to walk inside a Mc Donalds and I never go to Starbucks anyway. going to try it out when i visit my cousin