We scoured the New York Times photo archive for the humble yet ubiquitous pay phone.
Tag Archives: Telephones and Telecommunications
The Only Living Pay Phones in New York
At one point in time, you couldn’t walk 30 feet on a New York City block without encountering a pay phone. A look at the last ones.
The Era of Borderless Data Is Ending
Nations are accelerating efforts to control data produced within their perimeters, disrupting the flow of what has become a kind of digital currency.
Verizon Investigates Spam Texts but Sees No Russia Link
The wireless carrier said that it was working with the F.B.I. and the Secret Service to investigate a recent wave of fraudulent messages, but said the source did not appear to be Russian hackers.
When Nokia Pulled Out of Russia, a Vast Surveillance System Remained
The Finnish company played a key role in enabling Russia’s cyberspying, documents show, raising questions of corporate responsibility.
Landline Phones Find New Life With Nostalgic Fans
Like record players and VHS tapes, landline phones are being embraced by nostalgic fans as an antidote to an increasingly digital way of life.
Apple iPhone SE Review: A Phone for the Anti-Consumer
Why spend more if you don’t have to? The new $430 iPhone meets all the criteria of what most of us need in a smartphone.
Russia, Blocked From the Global Internet, Plunges Into Digital Isolation
Russian authorities and multinational companies have erected a digital barricade between the country and the West, erasing the last remnants of independent information online.
Kazakhstan’s Internet Shutdowns Could Be a Warning for Ukraine
Control of the internet is increasingly part of any modern conflict.
Restaurants Ditch Phone Lines, Making Employees’ Lives Easier
When restaurants abandon their phone lines, it can make the lives of employees easier but leave diners confused and frustrated — or relieved.
How 5G Clashed With an Aviation Device Invented in the 1920s
The potential for interference between 5G signals and the radio altimeters long used by pilots has divided the telecom and aviation industries.
Verizon and AT&T Agree to Delay 5G Plans Over Airline Safety Concerns
The companies will wait two weeks and work with the government.
BlackBerry Ends Service on Its Once-Ubiquitous Mobile Devices
Android-powered devices carrying the BlackBerry name won’t be affected. For some, it’s a farewell to an era when BlackBerries dominated airport lounges and the West Wing.
Russia Strengthens Its Internet Censorship Powers
Quietly built over two years, the Kremlin’s censorship infrastructure gives it sweeping power to block sites. Many fear a new age of digital isolation.
Robocalls Are Not Even the Worst of It
Updating our war against the scammers and assorted interrupters.
AT&T to Require Vaccines for Most Unionized Workers
The mandate will apply to tens of thousands of employees who are members of the Communications Workers of America union.
U.S. Reaches Agreement to Release Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou
The case suggested that the Biden administration and the government of President Xi Jinping could come to some kind of accommodations in a dispute that included allegations of hostage-taking on both sides.
In Race for 5G, Alarm and Security Services Get Stuck in the Middle
Covid-19 shutdowns and chip shortages have made it more difficult to upgrade devices and meet a deadline set by AT&T.
AT&T Went Back to Basics by Cutting WarnerMedia Loose
In acquiring WarnerMedia, it believed pairing distribution with content was the key to the future. Apparently not.
A Rural-Urban Broadband Divide, but Not the One You Think Of
Many more people in cities lack broadband access than in rural areas, but lawmakers are primarily focused on extending high-speed access to remote areas.
AT&T’s WarnerMedia Group to Merge With Discovery
AT&T’s WarnerMedia group is merging with the reality programmer Discovery. What does that mean for your favorite shows?
Lending Apps in India Shame Borrowers Who Can’t Pay Money Back
With techniques honed in China, a new breed of company offers expensive loans to people devastated by the pandemic. If they can’t repay, family and friends hear all about it.
F.C.C. Broadband Plan Includes $50 Monthly Subsidy for Millions
A proposal released by the acting chairwoman of the commission is an attempt to close the digital divide.
F.C.C. Approves a $50 Monthly High-Speed Internet Subsidy
The money, aimed at low-income households, is part of an effort to bridge the access gap to broadband connectivity amid the pandemic.
California Wins Court Victory for Its Net Neutrality Law
A federal judge’s ruling can allow the state to go ahead with its law while a lawsuit works its way through the courts.
How the Military Behind Myanmar’s Coup Took the Country Offline
As the military seized power again, the generals moved quickly to take the country offline, criminalize online dissent and block social media.
China Censors the Internet. So Why Doesn’t Russia?
The Kremlin has constructed an entire infrastructure of repression but has not displaced Western apps. Instead, it is turning to outright intimidation.
Who’s Making All Those Scam Calls?
Every year, tens of millions of Americans collectively lose billions of dollars to scam callers. Where does the other end of the line lead?
Hong Kong Website Doxxing Police Gets Blocked, Raising Censorship Fears
Users of major mobile carriers can no longer access a service that detailed the personal information of police officers, a possible sign that the city is turning to tactics used in mainland China.
When Nashville Bombing Hit a Telecom Hub, the Ripples Reached Far Beyond
Investigators are questioning whether the perpetrator specifically targeted the building. The explosion disrupted 911 call centers, hospitals and cell service in several states.
The Tech That Was Fixed in 2020 and the Tech That Still Needs Fixing
From videoconferencing to fitness apps, the best tech helped us endure a hard year. But there were also low points.
Who’s Behind the Fight Between Warner Bros. and Hollywood? It’s AT&T
The town is mad about the studio’s decision to put movies on HBO Max and in theaters at the same time. But with a telecom giant running an entertainment company, things were bound to get weird.
Why the 5G Pushiness? Because $$$.
Selling 5G capability is a huge opportunity for phone companies. Be careful.
Apple iPhone 12 Review: Superfast Speed, if You Can Find It
The new iPhone has an improved design, but it’s undermined by the wireless industry’s messy rollout of ultrafast 5G networks.
U.S. Appeals Injunction Against WeChat Ban
Trump administration officials claim the Chinese-owned app presents a security risk to American users.
The Tech Cold War Between the U.S. and China Is Heating Up
A conversation with The Times’s David Sanger on how Washington and Beijing are battling over the future of technology.
Trump Administration Widens Huawei Dragnet
The Commerce Department placed new restrictions on the Chinese tech giant’s ability to work with the global chip industry.
Police Have Too Much Access to People’s Data, German Court Rules
The Constitutional Court said that the current laws did not do enough to protect personal privacy in the digital realm.
F.C.C. Designates Huawei and ZTE as National Security Threats
American cellular businesses will no longer be able to spend federal money on equipment from the two Chinese companies.
The Video Call Is Starting. Time to Put on Your Zoom Shirt.
When homebound workers need to spiff up moments before a meeting, they reach for the breakout garment of quarantine season.
Senate Faults Oversight of Chinese Telecom Companies in U.S.
A multiagency group does a “minimal” job of assessing security risks posed by China Unicom, China Telecom and ComNet, investigators said.
HBO Max Wants to ‘Crush’ Netflix. Is It Too Late?
AT&T’s streaming platform goes live on Wednesday. At $15 a month, it’s more expensive than its rivals and comes at a time when household income is dropping.
Everything You Need to Know About Slow Internet Speeds
Our crummy connections are the biggest tech headache in the pandemic. Here’s a comprehensive guide to what to do about them.
Poor Americans Face Hurdles in Getting Promised Internet
Broadband companies like Charter and Comcast vowed to help low-income people during the pandemic. But taking them up on the offer hasn’t always been easy.
Live From D.C., It’s the Supreme Court!
The court heard oral arguments remotely, and broadcast the audio live, for the first time Monday. It was a spectacle made for the radio age.
The Loans and the Fury
As the U.S. government’s small-business rescue fund reopens today, outrage remains about bigger companies that tapped the first round of loans.
Spectrum Employees Are Getting Sick Amid Debate Over Working From Home
More than 230 workers at Charter Communications, the cable and internet giant known as Spectrum, have tested positive for Covid-19, as employees question how many of them must work in the office.
The Virus Revealed Our Essential Tech (and Weeded Out the Excess)
A computer with a good internet connection, communication apps and entertainment are the only tech we really need, ever.
How a 5G Coronavirus Conspiracy Theory Fueled Arson and Harassment in Britain
A conspiracy theory linking the spread of the coronavirus to 5G wireless technology has spurred more than 100 incidents this month, British officials said.