The outdated pay phones in New York City could soon be upgraded to Wi-Fi Hotspots, mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement this week.

New York City residents might welcome the idea with open arms considering that the proposed plan is to fund the new hotspots with $17.5 million in advertising revenue, according to the New York Daily News. In his statement this week, de Blasio assured New Yorkers that the new hotspots would not cost taxpayers a dime.

"For years, the question was, 'What to do with payphones?' and now we have an answer," de Blasio said in the statement, according to TIME. "By using a historic part of New York's street fabric, we can significantly enhance public availability of increasingly-vital broadband access, invite new and innovative digital services, and increase revenue to the city -- all at absolutely no cost to taxpayers."

New York City's Wireless Executive Director, Dan Spiegel, expressed his excitement about the news in a separate statement, according to TIME.

"We're very happy to see this administration take such a bold step forward in promoting ubiquitous free Wi-Fi Internet access," NYC Wireless Executive Director Dana Spiegel said in a separate statement, according to TIME. "If this is any indication of things to come, we're very excited about the city's commitment to open, competitive and innovative solutions to bring the Internet to everyone."

The city also proposed a plan that would allow people to call 911 and 311 at these hotspots.

What do you think about the plan to phase out pay phones in New York City? Do you think some pay phones should remain in place for other emergencies and situations, even though the city plans to give people the chance to call 911 and 311 at these hotspots? Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section below.