Suffering through the hell that is Starbucks—located exactly on every block in New York City—just to mooch by getting some free Wi-Fi or to use the bathroom, may not be a necessity anymore. Now that New Yorkers can enjoy Wi-Fi underground in the subway the focus has shifted above ground. A new project is taking all of those unused (if even functional) pay phone booths and replacing them with Wi-Fi kiosks.
LinkNYC, a project funded by CityBridge, has already begun to install the Wi-Fi hotspots in New York City The Wall Street Journal reports. On Tuesday two kiosks were unveiled though they won't be working for another week or so, the New York Daily News reports. With a goal of 500 kiosks set up by July CityBridge aims to install a total 7,500 kiosks thanks to a $200 million investment.
The kiosks which are over 9 feet tall will allow users to use charge their phones, use the internet, and make phone calls. It's reported the kiosks will provide a faster than average Wi-Fi with "broadband speeds of 1,000 megabits a second" writesThe Wall Street Journal.
Get ready for more sidewalk traffic, people.
