Garbage container as a Wi-Fi access point
Last reviewed: 16.05.2018
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The modern world is difficult to imagine without communication, millions communicate with each other every day via Skype, Viber, exchange electronic messages, many do not imagine their lives without social networks, but in some parts of the city there is no access to the Internet, which causes some inconvenience.
In addition, almost any information, whether it is a bus schedule, a cafe address, a medical center or ordering products people are searching on the Internet.
In New York, decided to fight this problem in an original way - with the help of ordinary garbage containers. In such a huge city, there are quite a few places where access to the global network is limited, and BigBelly has decided to install smart garbage containers with Wi-Fi support (the company has already applied to the mayor's office for a grant to carry out the reforms).
This choice for the access point was not accidental, because garbage containers are an integral part, but at the same time, an inconspicuous part of our life, and the company's specialists decided to turn them into high-tech machines that will provide access to the Internet in five districts of the city.
Garbage containers in many cities have already ceased to be simply containers for collecting waste, now tanks are widely distributed, which signal to utility services about the need to take out garbage when filling or the appearance of an unpleasant smell (such tanks are equipped with special sensors).
In Manhattan this winter, two garbage containers have already been installed for testing, which have been converted to Wi-Fi access points and, according to company reports, such an idea has great potential. The speed that is promised in the company is quite high (up to 75 megabits per second), now several hundred such containers BigBelly specialists will start installing in different parts of New York, it only remains to receive the consent of the mayor's office for such transformations and, most likely, the project will begin to be implemented in a few months.
As an access point to the Internet, it is the garbage container that is most convenient, first of all, because they are located on the ground and it is easy enough to connect necessary equipment to them, in addition, being on the first level, the signal will not be affected by any influence from high-rise buildings. Also, garbage containers are located throughout the area and allow you to cover a fairly large area. The method for notifying about free access points was the inclusion of banner ads.
Already today in New York it is planned to replace payphones with free access points to the global network, anyone can use them not only for access to the Internet, but also for recharging, making internal calls, obtaining the necessary urban information using special installed tablets.
At the end of this year, the city authorities intend to install about 10,000 of these machines, several thousand of which will also provide free access to the Internet for everyone.