AT&T announced it will set up 25 solar-powered charging stations for mobile devices throughout New York City.
For this project, dubbed Street Charge, AT&T partnered with solar power company Goal Zero and Brooklyn-based Pensa Design, which pioneered the concept a couple months back.
The chargers will begin popping up on Tuesday at Fort Green Park in Brooklyn. A total of 25 will be installed in Union Square, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Coney Island, Riverside Park and Hudson River Park.
"Nearly half of all Americans own a smartphone, and the amount of time we spend on handheld devices has increased dramatically," said Joe Atkin, president and CEO of Goal Zero. "All too often, we hear the dreaded low-battery beep and it happens at the most inconvenient times. Street Charge will fix that."
The chargers include six USB connectors: 30-pin and Lightning plug for iPhones and iPads, and micro-USB for Android and Windows phones. They are powered by three 15-watt solar panels and a 168 watt-hour battery, which is enough to keep the chargers running for several days without exposure to the sun.
The chargers will remain in place through October. If successful, AT&T may expand the initiative to other cities.