AT&T has a new way to keep New Yorkers connected free. The company will plant 25 solar-powered charging stations in parks, beaches and other outdoor spaces in the five boroughs. The charging stations are part of a pilot project between the wireless provider and the city. The cost of the project will be between $300,000 to $500,000.
The stations will be easy to find because each one is a 12.5-foot steel pole with three petal-shaped solar panels fanning out on top. Each station can accommodate up to six devices at a time regardless of wireless carrier. There are separate ports for iPhones, Androids, BlackBerrys and standard USB charging cables.
The solar stations were designed by Pensa with solar technology from mobile solar start-up Goal Zero. The stations will remain in spots like Union Square Park, Metrotech Plaza and Rockaway Beach for three to four weeks at a time. If the project proves to be successful, AT&T could expand it to other cities.
New York has more mobile customers than in any other market. AT&T has been providing free wireless in subways and at parks and cultural events and realized there was a need for more frequent charging. Marissa Shorenstein, president of AT&T’s New York division, said, “We view this as a commitment to being a part of the New York community as a corporate citizen but also as a way for New Yorkers to continue to engage with their technology as they continue to consume more and more data.”
Wireless is the biggest area of growth for the major telecommunications companies. Eddie Hold, vice president of the Connected Intelligence unit at NPD Group, said, “People are making less phone calls than they’ve made before and more importantly the newer generation of people are really not making many phone calls. To make money out of data services the telecom companies need to convince you to connect as many devices as possible. The more you connect, the more data you use, the more money they make.”
