NYC To Replace Most of Its Payphones With Free Gigabit WiFi In 2015 106
mrspoonsi writes: New York City announced today it has picked the companies that will deliver the technology behind its deployment of free, gigabit Wi-Fi to pay phone stations throughout the city. The LinkNYC stations will also include charging outlets, touchscreen displays that interface with city services, and free U.S. calling. It will be funded through advertising. Construction will begin in 2015, and officials expect up to 10,000 stations to be installed before it's done.
expect verizon and at&t to sue (Score:5, Interesting)
NYC is taking away their data overages money
Re:expect verizon and at&t to sue (Score:5, Informative)
NYC doubles T-mobile bandwidth and cell spots in one shot.
T mobile has wifi calling. Verizon and AT&T do not.
Re: (Score:2)
There are still any payphones to replace ? (Score:3)
I haven't seen a payphone on the streets in years.
The last time I saw one was in Penn Station
Re: (Score:2)
I love their fries.
Re:There are still any payphones to replace ? (Score:5, Insightful)
I haven't seen a payphone on the streets in years.
The last time I saw one was in Penn Station
Take your eyes of your iPhone for 30 seconds and yes, Virginia, you too will see a payphone on the street....
Re: (Score:2)
There's a street?
Re:There are still any payphones to replace ? (Score:5, Informative)
The boxes are still there - or at least the pedestals. Here's a picture. [google.com] They are on every block. They sell ad space on them, so they aren't going to pull them down :)
Re: (Score:2)
And there are people fixing these payphones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... [youtube.com] ...
Re:There are still any payphones to replace ? (Score:4, Interesting)
That YouTube video points out each cellphone currently generates $40 - 60K annually in services. Also, it says the most valuable asset that these units offer is the pre-existing infrastructure of power and telecommunication cables. They're not going anywhere, although collecting coins to complete phone calls might not happen much longer.
Re: (Score:2)
They have AC power. Since these things are spaced at roughly 250ft, they don't all need to be connected to gigabit. I'm sure they could work out some kind of a mesh network. On the other hand, regular WiFi is very saturated in NYC. I wish them luck.
Where in the city are they? (Score:2)
Mostly Manhattan, with a few in the outer boroughs? Mostly not in poor neighborhoods, where they may not have been as widespread, and they got taken out earliest because of the War On Politically Incorrect Drugs?
Gigabit wifi? (Score:3)
What exactly is gigabit wifi and what devices support it?
Re: (Score:2)
Google is your friend:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/... [newegg.com]
Re: (Score:1)
Google is your friend: http://www.newegg.com/Product/... [newegg.com]
And the second part of ArchieBunker's question: what devices support it? No smartphone does anything close to a gig. Google is your friend too.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: Gigabit wifi? (Score:1)
Tardis (Score:2)
please paint at least one like a Dr. Who Police Call Box
My guess? (Score:4, Insightful)
They're doing it to spy on people.
Re:My guess? (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Eh, people tracking isn't "evil" but as far as I know the iPhone 6 sends out fake MAC addresses anyway so it'll fail unless you're connected.
Re: (Score:2)
people tracking isn't "evil"
You state that as if it was a foregone conclusion: It isn't.
Re: (Score:2)
Not always about illegal shit.
Local upstart gaining too much traction at the polls with irrelevant shit like doing what the peons want them to? Have an intern track his movements through the AP access logs and find a pattern to exploit. Take a cameraman, and an actor, and Oh My Gosh, is that your opponent groping random busty pedestrians on 42 avenue?
Yeah it's all possible without the APs, but this would be cheaper and easier. Doesn't require hiring a person to shadow them, someone who could make a mistake,
Re: (Score:2)
I'd also add that it's easier if the city runs them to shut them down in the event that it becomes necessary "for public safety."
Re: (Score:2)
That's a feature, not a bug. Oh wait.
Municipal WiFi (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
First, the MAC is nothing fixed (unlike IMEI which is pretty much fixed by closed-down driver software), and second, WiFi APs are far more cheaper in buying and getting a license to send than 3G or LTE masts. The only solution for our internet needs is a dense mesh of APs, whether its WiFi or LTE. But as I've said, WiFi is cheaper and far more open than mobile connections.
"NSA class intel" is not exactly the case: if people use end-to-end encryption, the WiFi owner only sees which website I visit, but not w
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Municipal WiFi (Score:4)
Yes, I also hate "free" WiFi where you have to login first, or install some stupid app. It should just simply work without all that.
Re: (Score:1)
I love free WiFi but I'm cynical, and I think some muni's are doing bad things; I wouldn't be surprised if some are doing automated MITM attacks.
I'm wondering (Can /. tell me?) whether some bad actor can just set up a hotspot with the same SSID as the NYC pylons and MITM any unencrypted traffic for anyone who walks by who has their devices set up to connect to that SSID.
Re: (Score:2)
If you're using SSL, then the only thing that can be ascertained is which sites you visited, but not what you did on those sites or even what pages you viewed. I would advise being careful about any private information over the Internet without SSL anyway. If that's not satisfying, set up a VPN tunnel back to your home Internet connection, or pay for a VPN service, and then they can snoop all day and only know that you had an encrypted channel to some VPN endpoint. VPN is a good idea whenever using a pub
Re: (Score:2)
VPN is a good idea whenever using a public Internet service, since not all sites are encrypted and you don't really know who you're connecting to.
And you know your VPN better? You know and trust every of the stations appearing on the traceroute list when run on your VPN-ed network interface?
Re: (Score:3)
Well I meant something specific there, in that there are hacking schemes that consist of setting up public wifi specifically to capture unencrypted traffic. Just for example, if your local coffeeshop has a wifi network called "Coffee WiFi", then I can basically go sit in the coffeeshop with a mobile hotspot and my wifi and create a network with the same name. If I really want to be thorough, I might be able to locate their wireless device and pull the plug, and set the password on my network to be the sam
Re: (Score:2)
Getting access to the wire should be only the first step of a successful MITM, but yes the WiFi attack is the easiest if you know your target.
Re: (Score:3)
Ideally one would use solidly authenticated end to end encryption for everything but that just isn't practical. The best you get is weakly authenticated encryption (ssl/tls) and often you don't even get that.
Given the choice of trusting a typical free wifi deployment (e.g. a radio link that is either totally unencrypted or encrypted with a password that is likely known to any attacker who puts in a moderate ammound of effort) and trusting an established fixed line IP or hosting provider I would consider the
Re: (Score:2)
Usually also everybody else in that area can access the data. Encrypt your connections and live with it.
Definitions need work. (Score:1)
I'm willing to bet that "throughout the city" as usual means "Manhattan south of 125th street. Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island don't even have subway stops wired yet.
Wifi what about the poor saps (Score:1)
So you have enough money for a wifi enabled device likely a cellphone at least, congrats here's your free wifi. If you happen to be somewhere without a cellphone or say a tourist who's phone doesn't work there sorry no handy phones around anymore sure hope you know enough to get skype or something on that bad boy should you need to call anyone. Tech is cool but there is still a lot of people out there that are clueless. My parents for example can't even figure out how to shutoff a computer or figure out wha
Re:Wifi what about the poor saps (Score:4, Informative)
Didn't you get the memo, subsidized phone service for the poor started under Reagon, was expanded under Clinton, and under George W. Bush came to include cell/wireless. google "lifeline" program
What about the Obamaphone? (Score:1)
Everybody in Cleveland has one.
Re: (Score:2)
What difference does it make if a low income family saves $10 on POTS or $10 on a cell phone? It's not like that $10 is getting them an unlimited data plan and a top of the line phone.
Re: (Score:2)
1. top of the line phone?, who needs one? not me. your question makes no sense. irrelevant.
2. I pay $20 a month to provider with rule that I use free wifi when available for cell calls (they have servers to tie to that) and internet access, it goes to tmobile otherwise. been using them for over a year. $10 would be half of that, assuming your $10 a month a valid number
Re: (Score:2)
Or the Connect America Fund, which subsidizes rural telecom buildouts. Rural areas being predominately poor and expensive to reach.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not blaming you for not RTFA, but if you did you would find that you actually still can make phone calls with those stations. However, you won't have a handset anymore. Making phone calls will be free.
Re: (Score:1)
Huh. "Article" more like an ad. Not really clear what "free phone calls mean". I guess we can assume they'll have some sort of voip setup. I was thinking the assumption was that free wifi=free phone calls because everyone has a smartphone with skype installed right? I wonder how many people will use this to replace long distance for when you need to call a land line/cell phone without the hassle of coordinating a Skype call.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:1)
still it can be through an app you have to install.
Re: (Score:1)
If that was the case then why mention it?
If it was through an app then that's already covered by wifi.
You're an idiot.
No gadget required. Or eyes. Or mouth... (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.link.nyc/ [link.nyc]
Key Features
24/7 free Internet access with up to gigabit speeds
Integrated lighting
Digital displays to provide insight-driven and intelligently programmed advertising & public service announcements
Android tablet with touch screen display, directional speaker & microphone
Tactile keypad & Braille lettering, dedicated 911 button, USB charger, headphone jack
Iconic and durable aluminum construction designed and built in NYC
Sleek design and decreased footprint to restore sidewalk space and improve visual continuity
Re: (Score:2)
This actually seems pretty nice, especially if you're out-and-about and your cell phone dies (or if you don't have one, for whatever reason). I know I take my cell phone for granted, and it's scary how useless I can become if I don't have access to the Internet.
It does make me wonder, though, who is providing this gigabit Ethernet? It's a bit shocking how crappy the Internet in NYC can be, and I've seen businesses that are still stuck on DSL because they can't get FIOS, cable, or anything better than DSL
Re: (Score:2)
In NYC I can get far better than DSL anywhere for well below $1000 / mo. If those business are willing to send me a list of locations and don't want to play games I'd be happy to fix that.
Re: (Score:2)
I guess you did not hear about the VOIP phones they are going to put in those kiosks that offer free calling....
Re: (Score:2)
There are low cost phone shops all over New York city. They have a nice mixture of 1st world culture with premium prepaid shops and 3rd world culture with cheap phones being sold out of dedicated stores. For $40 you can get a phone.
Re: (Score:2)
The subway.
Re: (Score:2)
Here in Brisbane, there are quite a few public toilets (that is, toilets managed by the local council for the benefit of the public). Not just in the CBD but also in public parks and areas all over the the place.
Re: (Score:2)
We have them also in my town. In big cities public restrooms have had issues vandalism. I am sure they have those issues in small towns as well but it seems to be a bigger issues in the larger cities vs my town of around 200,000 people.
I don't know, im getting really tired of paying (Score:1)
Funded with advertising... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
You do understand that only a tiny percentage of people believe the FEMA Camps type sites.
That is a real problem with the internet. It is impossible to find any idea so crazy that no one will embrace it as truth.
But what about .... (Score:2)
Does everybody not remember Hurricaine Katrina? (Score:1)
Not Free... (Score:1)
NYC has a city income tax. They have property taxes. I think it is one of the most heavily taxed places in the United States.
This. Is. Not. Free.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Did you ever read Joseph Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness?" NYC is like that, except instead of darkness, it's taxes.
ALSO KNOWN AS SURVEILLANCE (Score:1, Insightful)
Canadian Free Voip Forever Available Now (Score:1)
How the hell did NYC (Score:2)
Technology evolution (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Net Neutrality (Score:2)
This will be the real test.
Modify or examine packets?
Block ports?
Throttle based on destination, content, protocol or port?
Gather metadata or otherwise log?
Provide data to 3-letter agencies without warrant?
lots of luck with that (Score:2)