![NYC Plans To Replace Pay Phones With Wifi Hotspots NYC Plans To Replace Pay Phones With Wifi Hotspots](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/new-york-city-pay-phone.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
The humble payphone is getting a 21st century upgrade. New York City will convert its thousands of rarely used payphones into Wi-Fi hotspots that provide free Internet access to city residents, by 2015.
The 10,000 new kiosks will each have a connectivity range of about 150 feet and and provide Internet speeds about 20 times as fast as the typical home connection, according to city officials. Up to 250 devices will be able to connect to each Wi-Fi network at a given time. The hotspots will also feature free domestic calls for cell phone users, mobile charging stations and city directions.
The venture is being developed by a group of companies including Qualcomm and Titan. It will cost more than $200 million and be funded by advertising displays on the kiosks.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com