At the end of an era, New York disconnected its last telephone kiosk

New York City, on Monday, May 23, unveiled its last coin-operated telephone kiosk, popular “Payment booth», Replaced by free wifi hotspots a few years ago. But let Superman fans promise: Manhattan will close four phone booths in which journalist Clark Kent becomes a superhero.

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On Monday morning, New York put an end to a myth that has been popular in the popular culture of comics, photography, film and television for decades. In front of the press, municipal officials and the mayor of Manhattan (equivalent to the mayor) Mark Levine last “BoothThe two phones, located in the corner of 7th Avenue and 50th Street in the center of New York Island, are marked with the blue bell logo of the telecommunications company Bell System.

“The end of an era⁇

“Celebrity – or was I there today to say the last ‘goodbye’ to the contemptible? – NYC Phone. I will not miss the lack of dial tone, but I have to admit that I had a longing to see him go.Mark Levine wrote on Twitter that the elected Democrats “did not really regret having to dig your pockets to find a quarter coin (25 cents) or stand in line to call in the middle of the street during the days when these phones worked half the time. Passers-by.”

With the advent of cell phones in the early 2000s, with the explosion of smartphones in the 2010s, wired phones began to disappear from the streets of New York. Beginning in 2015, Manhattan accelerated the installation of thousands of LinkNYC hotspots that offer WiFi and free local calls. These new kiosks will gradually be connected to the 5G network. “It’s really the end of an era, but the beginning of a new era with equal access to technology.Mark Levine praised the districts of Harlem, especially North Manhattan.

According to local newspapers, Manhattan will have four antique telephone booths (with or without hinged doors) on Upper West, 66th, 90th, 100th and 101st streets on West End Avenue.