BT has announced that its high-tech digital street units have gone live in Newcastle. The first seven of BT’s Street Hub 2.0 units have been installed in the city bringing free fast Wi-Fi, free calls, wayfinding information and device charging.
Street Hubs offer a range of benefits including free fast Wi-FI, free emergency calls and device charging, and offer a more modern alternative to traditional payphones. They also provide directions for tourists and have the capacity to be fitted with signal boosting 4G and 5G cells.
The first Street Hubs were switched on at the sites including streets in Byker, Benton, Heaton and Haymarket. They form part of BT’s rollout of even better mobile and Wi-Fi connections for communities across the UK.
As part of the initiative, BT will also be gifting free advertising to small businesses as they face increased costs during the current economic situation. The company is donating up to [£7.5 million (€8.69 million)] of outdoor advertising space to small businesses across the UK as part of the rollout of the new digital units.
Michael Smy, head of street at BT, says “Street Hubs provide communities with the improved Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity that is now such a central part of everyday life.”
“Bringing the Hubs to Newcastle not only allows us to provide the same benefits as traditional payphones, but also offer enhanced and future-proofed technology for the future.”
“Gifting free advertising to small businesses in the city also means we are able to play our part in supporting its economy,” adds Smy.
One of the first businesses in the city to benefit from the free advertising space will be Bud Couriers, based in the city. The organisation won a competition to land the free advertising as part of the introduction of hubs in the city.
James Tyer of Bud Couriers, says “The BT Street Hubs have been a blessing for my small business. This month, with the introduction of the clean air zone in Newcastle city centre, these adverts are positioned perfectly to reach those affected by the issue.
“Using these boards, we are able to showcase our role as an authority in Newcastle’s urban sustainable logistics.”
BT is rolling out the Street Hub units across a range of major cities in the UK with Sheffield joining places like Birmingham, Nottingham, and Glasgow.
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