Payphone Wi-Fi Piloted in Boston

Boston's Department of Innovation and Technology has endorsed installing Wi-Fi at 16 payphone sites near City Hall, Faneuil Hall, Downtown Crossing and Long Wharf. The move was announced last week by the four companies involved in the effort: RCN Business Services, LCC International Inc., Pacific Telemanagement Services and DAS Communications. Four unadvertised demo sites were set up in conjunction with the announcement, and received heavy usage. Tyler Katz, President of DAS Communications, told Boston.com that about 2,000 devices connected to the as yet unpromoted service at a payphone by City Hall, spending an average of 17 minutes using the connection. "People were using it quite a bit," he said. "There's a demand for this."