An army of blue phone boxes, each unit bearing an uncanny resemblance to the time-travelling Tardis in ‘Doctor Who’, are being used to bring free Wi-Fi to the people of Leeds.
Cnet.co.uk reports that 1930s-style booths have been restored by local firm aql to give local mobile users the chance to browse the internet without dipping into their data allowance.
Speedy internet isn’t the only luxury these iconic pieces provide. Each of the 24 phone boxes will also feature six touchscreens showing ‘route-finder’ information among other data that should be handy for tourists.
All of these useful features will be available just outside of the boxes, as the doors of the solar-powered machines will be kept locked shut.
Popular areas of the Northern city including Dortmund Square, Armouries Way, Briggate, The Headrow, Victoria Gardens, City Square and the front entrance to the Corn Exchange will all reportedly host Wi-Fi boxes.
There is however little chance of this idea catching on elsewhere, as Dr Adam Beaumont, of the booth designer aql, said his creation would be made exclusively for Leeds.
He told techradar.com:”We want them to become something iconic. We won’t be putting them in any other cities, as we want them to be a symbol of Leeds.”
