Good Riddance Payphones: NYC's Free Gigabit Wi-Fi Kiosks Go Live

alphadogg writes: New York City on Thursday officially launched its payphone booth replacements: shiny new 9-foot-plus-high kiosks, dubbed Links, that offer free Gigabit-speed Wi-Fi as well as free domestic VoIP calls via a tablet app. Mayor Bill de Blasio, joined by vendor partners such as Qualcomm and NYC Department of IT and Telecommunications reps, showed off the first operating LinkNYC kiosks, just over a dozen of which are spread across 3rd Avenue for starters. The spacing of the hotspots will enable users to stay connected as they walk down the street. More than 500 of the advertising-supported kiosks are slated to be installed by mid-year, with promises of secure and private connectivity.

Re:Just what the world needs... More advertisement

[Tx]

The ads play on big screens on the sides of the kiosk, as far as I can discern, you wouldn't even see them while making a call. They're just digital billboard space for passing pedestrians.

Re:

[Rob Y.]

So far, the ads are not animated. They change periodically, and are pretty bright - so it's a bit of new noise in the neighborhood. Haven't used the wifi yet for anything other than verifying that it works, and it automatically picks you up as you progress up the street - though it does cut out between kiosks, so the range doesn't seem to be seemless. Remains to be seen how useful this is - unless, you live withing wifi range and can use it as a free ISP...

Re:

[SargentDU]

You can make a free call with Vonage through an android tablet - part of the Kiosk.

Re:

[Merk42]

You can make a free call with Vonage through an android tablet - part of the Kiosk.

and how do those work for the deaf, blind, or those physically unable to operate a tablet computer.. but are otherwise perfectly capable of placing a call using the so-called "obsolete" touch dial pay phones or tty devices?

Curious, how did the traditional pay-phone work with the deaf or those physically unable to operate it?
For those that are blind, LinkNYC have a traditional keypad [wikipedia.org] on them

Re:

[Phreakiture]

Curious, how did the traditional pay-phone work with the deaf

The deaf would use a TDD terminal. You could carry one with you, or some payphones had one built in. If you carried your own, it used acoustic couplers to connect to the phone, and the bitrate was sufficiently low to make it usable with them.

As for now . . . SMS should work well enough, or a video call so you can communicate with sign language.

For other disabilities, I don't have any specific answers.

Re:

[Krojack]

I didn't realize someone stood there and would hold your eye open and force you to stair at the TV screens on the sides before you could make a call.

And how do I make a call?

[jabberw0k]

How exactly can someone like me, without a "device," use these to make a phone call? Like to 9-1-1 in an emergency?

Re:And how do I make a call?

[BlacKSacrificE]

From TFA.

The kiosks, in addition to supporting encrypted Wi-Fi connectivity for hundreds of HotSpot 2.0-enabled devices within 150 feet of them, will each include two USB charging ports, a red 911 button to contact emergency services

a red 911 button to contact emergency services

Don't you think that just maybe a little detail like that might have been covered..?

Re:

[guises]

I didn't think that. You couldn't use the payphones for 911 calls (since the phones didn't work) so it's nice to see another useful feature.

Re:

[tsqr]

I didn't think that. You couldn't use the payphones for 911 calls (since the phones didn't work) so it's nice to see another useful feature.

Pay phones are remarkably rugged, yet a high percentage of them are always out of order. Makes you wonder how these kiosks will stand up to the abuse they will undoubtedly receive.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

P.S. wikipedia has a close-up [wikipedia.org] of the console.

Re:

[kheldan]

Get a "device", you freakin' caveman.

I'm not that guy, but hey asshole, I don't have a gods-be-damned smartphone either, and why the hell should I? Literally every freakin' day I read about this exploit or that vulnerability or something-or-other attack on every freakin' smartphone OS there is out there, and you want me to pay for the privilege of having my entire life splayed open like a frog in a highschool biology class? Screw that. I'll stick with a nice, read-only, non-internet-enabled dumbphone, that's simple enough to be unhackable, or

Re:

[dstyle5]

A phone is just like any other device with internet access where most of the time its the users fault their device is exploited. Using common sense and being cautious you keep you safe most of the time.

So how do you make Slashdot posts, using a linux live CD/DVD? ;)

Re:

[kheldan]

This is all of course overshadowed by the fact that I have little-to-no use for a smartphone. I barely even use a phone as a phone, let alone wanting to be gouged for overpriced dataplans with too many restrictions. Seems like most people use it as a toy anyway, I have no time or desire for that. If I wanted to play games I'd get some handheld gaming device. I can count the number of times in a year I'd want to use the Intenet when out in public somewhere on the fingers of one hand, not counting the thumb.

Re:

[whodunit]

The fudd is strong with this one. I bet you hang around the local gun store telling youngsters that leaving their magazines loaded will weaken the springs, too!

Re:

[Phreakiture]

There is a HOPE conference this summer. If it doesn't happen prior to that, it'll happen then.

private

[arth1]

with promises of secure and private connectivity.

For values of "private" where you have to register with an e-mail address and every connection you make is linked to this account, and every web page you browse to is logged.

Re:private

[LordWabbit2]

"John Spartan, you are fined five credits for repeated violations of the verbal morality statute."

Re:

[Krishnoid]

I got frustrated trying to figure out how to use the three seashells when I was trying to place a phone call using these new-fangled phone booths, and it just slipped out. My apologies.

Re:

[fustakrakich]

So you create a burner/spam catcher account. Problem solved.

Re:

[MoZ-RedShirt]

Maybe use a VPN? Which is a good idea on any public network anyway.

Re:

[Actually, I do RTFA]

advertising-supported kiosks... with promises of secure and private connectivity.

Advertising-supported privacy.

Joining my list of favorite oxymorons.

About time...

[JoeMerchant]

Too "/. experienced" to RTFA, I'm assuming that tablets are provided at these Link spots with which to make those free domestic calls? The disappearance of payphones has seemed like a step backwards in progress, sure "most" people carry cell phones and even if you don't have one "usually" a good samaritan will step up and help, but (semi) reliable physical communication stations at fixed locations were a part of my childhood that decayed away over the decades.

Providing free WiFi so that most people don't h

Re:

[D.McG.]

As more folks start using the WiFi hotspots near ground level, it should take considerable load off of the cell phone towers in the city.

Re:Classist (if that's a word)

[As_I_Please]

https://www.link.nyc/ [link.nyc]

Key Features
        - Use your personal device to connect to LinkNYC’s super fast, free Wi-Fi
        - Browse the web and access city services, maps and directions from the tablet
        - Make free phone calls to anywhere in the U.S. using the Vonage app on the tablet or the tactile keypad and microphone. Plug in your personal headphones for more privacy.
        - Use the dedicated red 911 button in the event of an emergency
        - Charge your device in a power-only USB port
        - Enjoy more room on the sidewalk with Link’s sleek, ADA-compliant design by Antenna
        - View public service announcements and more relevant advertising on two 55” HD displays

Re:

[Actually, I do RTFA]

does the city plan to provide these people with free smartphones to use the required app?

No, but the federal government provides (well, subsidies) dumbphone service for poor people. (They'll actually subsidize smartphone service as well, but only like 20% of it).

This was a recent evolution from when they just used to subsidize landline service, and now someone can choose whether to apply it to a landline or a cellphone.

Durability

[Stoertebeker]

I wonder how long the tablets will last...

Re:

[PPalmgren]

Durability of the tablet isn't the only factor, durability of the whole tower could be problematic. This thing is tall and narrow so its going to need some serious anchoring and heavy duty materials at the base to prevent being damaged long-term. I mean, have you ever looked and how scuffed up and dented phone booths are? Those have flex and size to absorb the body blows. People are going to bang into these things, either accidentally or on purpose (teenagers) on a consistent basis.

It looks nice, and th

Re:

[cthulhu11]

Not to mention the inevitable issues with the USB ports - weather - vandalism - hacking with skimmers to steal data, trojans to inject malware etc

Superman

[Eyezen]

There are no doors - they are open to the outside. So where is Clark Kent going to do his thing?

Re:

[dwillden]

Thank you for asking the question that nobody else seems to be concerned about. Do they not realize the problems they cause when they take away Superman's changing rooms?

Re:

[sconeu]

It was a problem as far back as 1978.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhCm66QhW_Y [youtube.com]

Re:

[The-Ixian]

Only a perv disrobes in a transparent box in the middle of a public space...

Re:

[captjc]

We haven't had those kind of booths in a long time. Hell, even the 1978 Superman movie made that joke, forcing him use a revolving door to change.

Big Brother chugging along

[rjejr]

Can't help but think that at some point these will be used mostly for police work. I'm guessing they won't hire Apple for encryption work, they'll want to know every single bit that passes thru these. Do they have cameras and "gunshot" detectors yet? I'm not compeltley paranoid, I do see the value in these, and more good than harm will come of them, but I feel like it's just the city getting us used to surveillance. At some point self charging drones will be stationed on top of everyone of these zooming aro

Re:

[Actually, I do RTFA]

Probably not gunshot detectors. At 9 feet off the ground, those aren't terribly effective.

I miss telephone boxes...

[Bearhouse]

NYC can be very cold in winter, and trying to hear your correspondant in the street can be hard with the background noise.
Too bad that most of the time they were busted, and/or full of vomit, piss and a loony...
I fear the same thing will happen to these; they'll be smashed and graffitied to death in minutes

Re:

[Viol8]

"I fear the same thing will happen to these; they'll be smashed and graffitied to death in minutes"

And pressing the red emergency button and running off will probably become a favourite pastime for the local kids.

Re:

[EmagGeek]

I grew up in NYC in the 70s, and it seems like a completely different city today. Giuliani really cleaned up the place, and despite Bloomberg and DiBlasio's efforts to undo all of his good work, for the most part it seems to remain a much safer and cleaner version today that it was back then.

SOCIALISM!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Free Internet anywhere in NYC?!?!? Provided by GOVERNMENT!??!!

This is so evil I don't know where to begin! How dare government step in and do something that could be done by a private corporation were it only profitable enough to pay their CEO millions of dollars?

Re:

[stackOVFL]

I was thinking in a slightly different way: Free Internet anywhere in NYC?!?!? Provided by GOVERNMENT!??!!

Yes citizen your data is secure on the NSA's servers. Now we don't need Apple to decrypt jack MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

We win so there. signed: The government.

Forever stuck in The Matrix

[RogueWarrior65]

How the hell am I supposed to get out of The Matrix? Sounds like a conspiracy to me.
And how the hell am I supposed to get new numbers from The Machine? Sounds like Samaritan at work.

"Operator, Operator, I have an emergency!!!"

[JoeyRox]

Searching for IP address...please stand by.

payphones still going strong

[Khashishi]

Not so much on the streets, but they making a killing in prisons, I hear.

Durability of Headphone Jack

[EmagGeek]

Most sockets/jacks are only rated for so many mating cycles. I can't imagine these things are going to last long with 100 people/day plugging into them. Even the most durable, industrial connectors are typically only good for 10,000 or so mating cycles, and some are as few as ~1,000 (like microUSB)

I hope whomever designed this thing made the socket easily replaceable.

911 compliant ?

[Archfeld]

What will this do for 911call location issues ? Currently there are numerous issues with VOIP and 911, and AFAIK some solutions but none that provides the full functionality of standard phone calls as far as guiding emergency services to the location of the 911 call.

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/... [fcc.gov]

So, who's paying for the "free" services?

[eric_harris_76]

Perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see for sure who was paying for this.

It appears to be a gift from a group of companies, with possibly some money from the city government. And advertising was expected to pay the operating costs -- but not the initial installation, and the development that preceded it.

Did I miss that?