The startup behind this is Google. "Intersection was formed as a merger between Titan, the largest municipal out-of-home company, and Control Group, a leader i

The startup behind this is Google. "Intersection was formed as a merger between Titan, the largest municipal out-of-home company, and Control Group, a leader in technology and design innovation. We are backed by Alphabet through its urban technology company, Sidewalk Labs."[1] Google actually acquired all of these companies: "Today Sidewalk revealed its first move: The acquisition of two companies that are working to bring free, public Wi-fi to NYC. Control Group and Titan Outdoor are both behind an effort called LinkNYC, which aims to put Wi-fi and digital advertising screens in thousands of pay phone booths across the city. The Wi-fi hotspots will also offer charging stations for cell phones and free calls to anywhere in the US."[2] While there is clear benefit in providing free wifi and emergency services to citizens and tourists, this comes at the cost of even more advertising blight. I think it opens up some questions like "should out city's be in the advertising business? If so "should New York City be advertising alcohol to its residents"? See the following: http://www.adweek.com/digital/coors-light-offering-neighborhood-specific-mobile-music-new-yorkers-169112/ http://www.adweek.com/digital/coors-light-offering-neighborh... Also I have to ask do cities really need yet more advertising? This whole thing smacks of little more than a ploy for Google to take a piece of traditional billboard advertising along with some new sources of data collection, under the pretense of "civic improvement." I was recently struck by kiosk after kiosk along 1st ave advertising Coors Light Beer and yet I saw nobody interacting with the kiosks in any way. Yes I realize this is anecdotal but its also an observation that's been made over the many months since the program's inception. [1] http://www.intersection.com/ http://www.intersection.com/ [2] http://www.businessinsider.com/google-sidewalk-labs-acquires-titan-outdoor-and-control-group-2015-6 http://www.businessinsider.com/google-sidewalk-labs-acquires...