Tall Kiosks Replacing Pay Phones: What Are They?
If you live in NYC, or have recently visited and spent some time walking around, you might have noticed many new tall kiosks around the city. LinkNYC kiosks are replacing places where pay phones previously lived.
The kiosks, known as Links, were first introduced in early 2016 by CityBridge. Since then, about 1,250 Links have been put up in all 5 boroughs; the company aims to have 7,500 erected by 2026 when their contract expires with the city. Links are not only a critical piece of the city’s goal to bring broadband internet access to all New Yorkers but their community-first approach provides other social benefits. Each Link has an interactive screen, offering everyday information like weather, local maps, a connection to the 311 service, as well as the ability to anonymously search for nonprofit and social services. The kiosks also offer free phone calls to anywhere in the country and users can register and connect to its Wi-Fi service.
The system’s biggest challenge now is finding new locations. Aside from putting new Links up, the current ones are in a constant state of refinement, with options ranging from whimsical and fun to time-sensitive and necessary. The idea is also expanding to other cities, like Philly, who plans to start building them this summer. To learn more about the Links and how to take advantage of what they have to offer, visit here.
