New York City’s Innovation Challenge: Remake Public Telephones

New York City is challenging the world to help update their payphone infrastructure. Have ideas?? (source: Reinvent PayPhones)

Public utilities are desperately in need of help. Its the biggest Tragedy of the Commons. Everyone uses them (generally), and they take immense amounts of capital to develop and maintain. With technology moving so rapidly, how do you update them when they get defunct? Or what do you do with the old pieces?

Well, New York City ain’t about to give up on their public telephones. In the fast-paced age of mobile phones, what do you do about existing public telephone infrastructure?? Unlike other cities, they are still being used. The huge daily influx of migrants and travelers coming through there, plus the economically challenged communities of NYC still use them. But is there something else that can be done to make them relevant to the majority??

So here’s the challenge:

Have ideas on how New York City can reinvent payphones to create a safer, healthier, more sustainable, accessible and informed city? Submit your prototype by February 18th and you could help to shape the City’s future.”

Wanna enter?? Go here!

I LOVE it when governments are innovative!