NYC wants to turn its numerous payphones into Wi-Fi hotspots

In the era of smartphones, pay phones look increasingly dumb. Dumb, that is, to everyone but advertisers and pay phone operators, who are happy to place thousands of small billboards at consumer eye level. A survey conducted Monday along an unscientifically selected route (my 21-block walk home from the office, largely along Eighth Avenue) found 22 curbside public phones in 17 enclosures, with a total of 48 advertising panels. To replace and augment these enclosures, the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio envisions as many as 10,000 “public communications structures.” These kiosks would provide free Wi-Fi service around the clock and at least enough standard telephone service to permit anyone to place a free call to 911 or 311.