Free mobile phone calls and wifi in digital kiosks plan
SOME phone boxes in Salford could be replaced by new digital wifi kiosks offering free wifi, free UK landline and mobile calls and phone charging.
Proposals for portals at three sites – and neighbouring advertising units – have been sent to the city’s planning committee.
And there are plans to install five more in Salford, as well as 17 in Manchester later in the year.
BT is behind the applications for the ‘InLink’ units, which would give passersby free access to wifi, mobile charging, and free calls to UK phone numbers.
“Each InLink will replace two BT payphones, so the current number of applications submitted in Salford represents the removal of 18 BT payphones in the city,” InLink said in a statement.
But ‘iconic heritage listed red phone boxes’ will not be affected, it said.
The units also have ‘built-in video cameras’ although these will be ‘turned off’ and InLink has ‘no plans for this to change,’ it said.
Funding for the machines will come from advertising displayed on digital LED screens placed either side of each unit.
An InLinkUK spokesman said: “This represents a multi-million pound investment bringing new digital services to the local community.”
Applications have been put in for three locations in Salford – one outside The Alchemist bar in Salford Quays, a second outside Caffe Nero on New Bailey Street and a third outside the Crescent railway station.
The boxes are already in use in London, Leeds and Glasgow.
But planning applications in Bristol were rejected by councillors who said the LED screens would be ‘incongruous.’