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500 of NYC's free WiFi kiosks will be installed by July

With 'at least' 4,550 scheduled to go online by 2020.

LinkNYC's ambitious plan to convert some 7,500 Gotham payphones into kiosks featuring free domestic phone calls, USB charging points, gigabit WiFi and tablet-based internet access is well under way. But if you're having trouble finding them so far (it's only been about a week since installations started) that's understandable. The company promises that some 510 of them will be up and running in beta phase across two sections of Manhattan, the South Bronx, Jamaica Queens, Staten Island and Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn by this July.

By 2020, LinkNYC promises that number will have grown to "at least" 4,550 across New York, each with secure and ultra-fast wireless internet, a pair of power-only USB charging points and with a security-minded version of Android on the Link slates. Here's to wondering if it'll take another four years to install the remaining units as well.