Doctor Who-style blue phoneboxes to become Wi-Fi hubs in Leeds

Doctor Who-style blue phoneboxes become Wi-Fi hubs in Leeds
Superfast Wi-Fi phoneboxes coming to Leeds

In one city in the UK, phoneboxes will once again become more than unofficial public urination stations with several in Leeds being restored and fitted with some serious tech.

Local firm aql has painted the old coin-operated boxes a nice shade of Doctor Who blue and fitted them with free public Wi-Fi in several popular locations around the city.

The superfast Wi-Fi signal will carry for "several hundred yards" around the box and also facilitate emergency calling, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.

The phone boxes will also feature interactive, touchscreen information stations, which will encourage visitors and residents to record video messages chronicling their memories of the town (like that's not going to be abused...).

Symbol of Leeds

"We won't be putting the blue boxes in any other cities, as we want them to be a symbol of Leeds," said aql's CEO Dr Adam Beaumont. "We want them to become iconic."

Naturally, the phoneboxes will remain locked at all times, so, you know, people can't pee in them. Old habits die hard.

Via Engadget

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.