Considering how connected people are today, finding a free Wi-Fi spot is like finding a pot of gold, especially for those on the go. When traveling, people often look for internet café's to try to stay connected, but New York City is making free Wi-Fi more readily available. They're turning dated payphones into Wi-Fi hotspots and providing free connections in other places throughout the city.
Aside from Maroon 5 trying to bring them back with their new song, payphones are a little outdated, being that a majority of people now carry cell phones. The city of New York is trying to make use out of these now antiquated phones on the street. They're turning them into Wi-Fi stations.
The city announced their pilot program to turn the metal booths into Wi-Fi Kiosks. So far, there are 10 of these payphone Wi-Fi spots in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, but there are plans to place them throughout the five boroughs. The city has 12,360 payphones that could become hotspots.
For a list of current locations, check out New York City's blog.
The Wi-Fi hotspots are free of charge to travelers and locals. They are identified with a poster on the booth that says "Free Wi-Fi Here!" and users can connect to the "NYC-PUBLIC-WIFI" network for access. The internet service, provided in cooperation with Van Wagner and Titan, allows people to connect their smartphones, tablets, or laptops in certain areas of the city.
The Wi-Fi kiosks will provide service up to 300 feet away using "military grade" antennas. Currently there are no ads on the free service, but that could change.
According to DNAInfo, 40 percent to 60 percent of the city's payphones are out of service and locals see them as more of a problem than a benefit. They claim that many of the booths are often used for criminal activity like drug dealing, alcohol consumption, sexual activity, and public urination.
Payphones aren't the only areas where people in New York City can now access free Wi-Fi. There are also Wi-Fi hotspots in city parks and libraries. Last month, the city launched a free Wi-Fi program in underground subway stations. Google Offers sponsors the free internet from Boingo Wireless at six MTA stations and more than 200 hotspots across the city.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
