Google Wants to Turn Old Payphones Into Smart Pylons

Google has big plans, we all know that and maybe one day they’ll take over the world as some fear, but up until then they are doing a lot of cool things for all of us. One of the things they are working on is to bring free WiFi for everyone and that project starts in New York.

Google announced their Sidewalk Labs project earlier this month, an independent google-owned company that would focus on improving city living through technology innovations, but otherwise the giant didn’t specify what that company would do. The first task is now to bring widespread Wi-Fi to large cities around the world and they’re starting with New York as a testing ground.

Hello cities! Announced today by @DanDoctoroff + @google’s Larry Page, Sidewalk Labs is a new company focused on urban innovation

— Sidewalk Labs (@sidewalklabs) June 10, 2015

Sidewalk Labs now announced that it is launching Intersection, another new company formed of Control Group and Titan. Those two names might not sound familiar but they are the ones behind the LinkNYC plan who’s plan is to convert old phone booths into ad-supported Wi-Fi pylons. If the project is a success, it is planned to roll it out to more cities in the near future.

Excited to announce our first initiative: @intersection_co to expand #LinkNYC model to cities around the globe. http://t.co/eKnYMWXO9F

— Sidewalk Labs (@sidewalklabs) June 23, 2015

The Pylons aren’t just designed for Wi-Fi connection and advertising space, they will also work as charging stations, offer free domestic phone calls and a touchscreen with city information.

The information is still sparse, but it looks like it is happening sometime between now and this fall.

Thank you TheVerge for providing us with this information

Image courtesy of NY Post