Did you every think New York City trash cans would become free Wi-Fi hotspots?

We didn't either, but now, thanks to the Massachusetts-based waste management company Bigbelly, plans are in the works to change garbage cans' smelly reputations.

More than 170 of Bigbelly's solar powered "smart" bins have already been installed in downtown Manhattan. And these bins are already pretty amazing. 

They currently come outfitted with a chip that senses when the bin is too smelly or full, and notifies trash collectors where they're needed most.

But now, they're going to become even smarter.

The Huffington Post reported last winter, Bigbelly teamed up with New York's Downtown Alliance to install Wi-Fi units into two trash bins.

They then tested these Wi-Fi hotspots for several hours a day, measuring the number of people that could connect to the internet and the quality of the signal.

Chief Technology Officer of the Downtown Alliance Jeremy Schneider said the results were promising, and that the bandwidth would be "more than enough to run a small business."

Bigbelly plans to run more tests this year, and hopes to expend the service with the help of sponsorship and grants.

The only question that remains is, who will bring free Wi-Fi to NYC first? 

Will it be Bigbelly? Or Google?

Check out 10 Moments Subway Wi-Fi Saved a New Yorker's Life. 

[via & Feature Image Courtesy: Digital Trends]