China will convert phone booths into Wi-Fi hotspots

By Molly McHugh February 11, 2011

china wifi — Image used with permission by copyright holder

As the Chinese smartphone market nears almost complete saturation and land lines are fading away, the government will begin turning its obsolete public phone booths into Wi-Fi hotspots. According to popular Asian tech blog Mobinode, a local Chinese paper reported that some of the booths are getting less than one user a day and the cost of upkeep and operation for them is a waste.

Aside to the spending of unnecessary resources, allowing users to more readily access Wi-Fi would be a boon to the current spotty 3G service in China. But phone booths are reportedly only one piece of the expansion. Implementing Wi-Fi hotspots in locations like restaurants, hotels, and gyms is a larger project.

Of course, eliminating public phone use only benefits mobile phone owners, and those without could find themselves with incredibly limited communication access. Largely, however, the current situation results in throwing resources down the drain, so turning what’s quickly becoming an archaic item into a service for the mass majority of Chinese citizens sounds like an all around win. And with as many of the world’s Internet users as China has, you can bet most will be thrilled with improved connection.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…

Computing

How to find a Wi-Fi password on Mac

Man in front of iMac.

Need to review your Wi-Fi password on a Mac? It happens to all of us. Sometimes you need to check up on a Wi-Fi password to share it with a friend, or you want to make sure that your security habits are up to standard with a strong password. With today’s plentiful autofill logins, it may have been a long time since you even thought about your Wi-Fi login info, or you may need to retrieve a past Wi-Fi password you used at a certain location but cannot retrieve right now.

Computing

These are the best Wi-Fi routers for 2023

Netgear's Nighthawk RAXE500 tri-band router.

If you are looking to improve your wireless network speeds, then you should probably think about upgrading your router, especially if you indulge in streaming high-definition videos or online gaming. Going for a new router model can also help enhance the extent of wireless coverage, thus allowing seamless usage throughout your home or office space. Among the options available, we particularly recommend Netgear's Nighthawk RAXE300, which impressively combines a plethora of features.

In addition to our top pick, we've reviewed and compared some of the latest router models to curate a selection of the finest Wi-Fi routers currently on the market. Have a look at our recommendations below to gain insights into which device aligns best with your requirements. Whether you're seeking a Wi-Fi 6 router, a budget-conscious alternative, or the ultimate choice for gaming, we have your preferences covered.

Computing

How to change the Wi-Fi channel on a router

Netgear's Nighthawk RAXE500 tri-band router.

If you’re constantly struggling with dropped Wi-Fi connections or are dealing with pesky buffering when you’re streaming online videos due to slow Internet speeds, you’re not alone. According to a 2021 Parks Associates study, more than 40% of U.S. households with broadband have experienced Wi-Fi issues, including slow speeds, connection dropouts, and difficulty connecting devices to the Internet. Although you could just buy a new router, you don't have to. Solving these issues involves a simple fix, and the problem may not even rest with your Internet service provider (ISP) or your current hardware.