News

NYC transforming all payphones into kiosks

March 19, 2012

New Yorkers with battery-drained tablets and smartphones will soon have access to the Web, email and apps via kiosks, according to a story in the NY Post.

The system, called MIKE, or My Internet Kiosk Everywhere, will soon replace all payphones throughout the city. Each kiosk will feature a 22-inch touchscreen with a camera for video applications and electrical outlets so users can charge their devices while chatting and surfing the Internet.

California-based Pacific Telemanagement Services, the company that last year took over Verizon's stock of public payphones, is paying for the upgrades.

The Internet phones will first show up at Penn Station but will eventually be in other public locations, such as hospitals and schools. The plan calls for about 100 systems to be deployed in just a few months.

PTS charges 50 cents for a 15-minute call and $1 for four minutes on the Internet.