BT and Global have embarked upon a decade-long partnership to upgrade the UK’s ‘legacy payphones’, bringing hyper-local advertising to more than 200 towns and cities.
The move will also see the implementation of more digital hubs for local communities in a bid to provide better connectivity within British town centres.
The agreement will see media firm Global convert up to 2,000 conventional BT payphones and kiosks into new ‘Street Hubs’ over a 10-year period from 2025, alongside marketing and advertising on 959 of the telecom brand’s existing street hubs.
“We are absolutely delighted to continue our partnership with BT for at least another 10 years. Street Hubs have become increasingly attractive to advertisers, given their striking presence and prominent positioning on the major streets across the UK,” Global group CEO, Stephen Miron said.
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“Together with BT, we have very exciting and ambitious plans to significantly expand the Street Hub network, alongside some highly innovative solutions for advertisers. BT has been a great partner, and we look forward to continuing this relationship over the next decade.”
Offering secure connectivity at speeds of up to 1Gbps within a 150-metre radius, BT’s Street Hub 2 units also have a built-in 999 calling button, USB ports for free charging and touch-screen tablets displaying real-time public information from local councils.
The hubs will also contain digital advertising screens.
BT Business CEO, Bas Burger added: “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.
“There are already almost 1,000 modern digital Street Hubs bringing communication benefits to local communities across the UK. By bringing together BT’s rock-solid connectivity with Global’s unrivalled expertise in out-of-home advertising, we can almost triple this number over the next decade.”
