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The move will provide improved connectivity and hyper-localised advertising to communities around the UK
BT and Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, have announced a 10-year partnership to upgrade the UK’s legacy payphones and expanding digital hubs in local communities across the UK.
The move seeks to enhance connectivity and provide hyper-local advertising opportunities in over 200 towns and cities.
Additionally, Global will continue to manage BT’s street furniture advertising sales for the next decade.
“BT’s payphones have long been an iconic feature on the UK’s streets – and with the way we all communicate changing, today’s announcement marks a further step into the future,” said Bas Burger, CEO of BT Business in a press release.
BT Group’s street furniture includes traditional payphones, ATMs, and Street Hubs, which offer public Wi-Fi and local communication services, with some also extending EE’s mobile network capabilities to provide 4G and 5G connectivity.
Under the new agreement, Global will convert up to 2,000 conventional BT payphones and kiosks into modern Street Hubs over a 10-year period, beginning in 2025. They will also handle marketing and advertising sales on BT’s existing 959 Street Hubs.
BT will continue to provide mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity at these locations.
According to the operator, these Street Hubs will provide connectivity with speeds of up to 1Gbps within a 150ma radius. They also have a dedicated 999 calling button, USB ports for device charging, touch-screen tablets displaying real-time public information, and screens for digital street-level advertising.
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