The dilapidated public phone booths in the New York City are to get a makeover with 32-inch interactive smart screens. Well, the popularity of smartphones and other high tech communication facilities has ended the golden era of payphone kiosks. The NYC authority has taken an appreciable step to modify the old phone booths with high tech display screens, which will keep people in touch with many essential updates.
The iPad-like touchscreens will have lots of user-friendly functions. It will bring internet on street with access to directions, local news, video chatting, Wi-Fi hotspot and much more. This pilot program from the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) is meant to modify the city's 12,800 payphone of kiosks in a few years.
Nicholas Sbordone, the director of external affairs of the department, says that the NYC authority has started to seek public inputs about the project. The City authority will sign a deal with the City24x7 to realize this innovative program, which will not only recycle the abandoned public booths, but also avail smart and interactive displays for public in streets with free access.
The City24x7 will do the maintenance and repairs of the smart kiosks. The city authority will not have any financial obligation in implementing the project. In future, the project will display ads and thus bring profits, sources said. The displays will also be used to advertise the official notifications of the city authority and other agencies. Locals can use the stations to easily report an issue to '311' and they can read content in 10 languages on the displays.
Via: NYPost/Mashable/FoxNews
