The last standing public pay phone in New York City was removed on Monday morning.
The removal of two pay phones from a sidewalk on Seventh Avenue and West 50th Street marked the "end of an era" and the beginning of a new one, as city officials look to replace the old technology with public Wi-Fi hotspots, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said.
LETITIA JAMES OPENS INQUIRY INTO SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS USED BEFORE THE BUFFALO SHOOTING
"No more fishing in your pocket for quarters," Levine tweeted.
The initiative, which was spearheaded under former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014, is replacing the outdated infrastructure with LinkNYC kiosks across the five boroughs. Each kiosk provides "public Wi-Fi, phone calls, device charging, and a tablet for access to city services, maps, and directions," according to the company, LinkNYC.
END OF AN ERA.
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) May 23, 2022
NYC’s last free-standing pay phones removed this a.m. in Times Sq. (7th Ave & 50th St.).
No more fishing in your pocket for quarters.pic.twitter.com/ZtRhzWPp4G
The services provided by LinkNYC are offered free of charge and are funded entirely through advertising. Nearly 2,000 active LinkNYC kiosks are already in place across the city.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Several privately owned pay phones will remain on the streets, and four enclosed phone booths along West End Avenue will be salvaged, per the New York Post.