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Thread: Pay phones can't call cell phones?

  1. #1
    Junior Member
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    Question Pay phones can't call cell phones?

    I was attemping to make a call from a pay phone (actually I tried several different ones) to a cell phone of a friend of mine. Unfortunatly, I found out later from that friend that pay phones can't call cell phones and was curious why this is? Went looking but couldn't find anything on it, so I thought I'd post and ask if anyone knew the reason why. Please be as specific as you can because I'm curious to learn why pay phones can't call cell phones. Thanks!
    Your actions speak so loud that I cannot hear the words you are saying - Emerson

  2. #2
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    I wish I could help but honestly my son has called my cell phone from a pay phone hundreds of times. Also while on vacation in the US I called from a pay phone to my dad's cell phone a couple of times. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

  3. #3
    cha_chi , you're not alone. This always happens to me when I try and reach someone that's on a cell through a payphone. Perhaps this problem is exclusive to the U.S., or just certain parts of it. I'm not too clear about why this occurs, but I'll try to look into it.

    Take care

    ::Chelle::

  4. #4
    Webius Designerous Indiginous
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    This is actually a preventative for drug dealing. They do this is poor neighborhoods or known drug neighborhoods so that you can't call your dealer from a street corner. It started with not being able to page a beeper, but I guess it has gone into cell phones as well. I don't remember where I heard this, it was a long time ago. I think CNN or something.

  5. #5
    Originally posted here by xmaddness
    This is actually a preventative for drug dealing. They do this is poor neighborhoods

    Wow....talk about discrimination. Does anyone else see anything wrong with this?


    "We better stop people in poorer neighbourhoods from calling cell phones....they're trying to buy drugs..."


    Pathetic....

  6. #6
    AO Soccer Mom debwalin's Avatar
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    *shrugs*

    I live in the US, and in Florida...and have received lots of calls on my cell phone from pay phones, from all different people in all parts of the state. I've never had anyone tell me they couldn't reach me on it before.

    Deb
    Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.

  7. #7
    Senior Member geepod's Avatar
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    Well im from the UK and although im currently in the states and have been for a few months now, however i ws told that in the UK payphones can only call cell phones (mobile phones) if the payphone is on a digital exchange as there are still a few analogue switches in the UK, and cerrtainly i have used some that wont allow but also some that will. As for the states i constantly call home to the UK via a payphone and call cell phone numbers and get through fine although there is one down the street that wont allow me to call cell phones, are all the switches in the states digital ?
    I would be interested to find a definitive nswer on this issue however ! Please dont take what i have supplied as information as definitive as it was just told to me and certainly is not 100% accurate and is certainly open to conjecture, i would be interested in any informed information on this matter !
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  8. #8
    "We better stop those poorer neighbourhoods from getting electricity.....I hear they use it to manufacture narcotics...."


    Seriously though, Geepods answer makes a lot of sense..


    Xmadness- thanks for getting the overly paranoid, conspiracy fuelled part of my brain ticking over!

  9. #9
    PHP/PostgreSQL guy
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    Originally posted here by Conf1rm3d_K1ll



    Wow....talk about discrimination. Does anyone else see anything wrong with this?


    "We better stop people in poorer neighbourhoods from calling cell phones....they're trying to buy drugs..."


    Pathetic....
    I wouldn't call that discrimination...if it's a known problem in an area, then the authorities have the right to do what they see fit as a solution. In Tampa, I've never had any problems receiving phone calls from pay phones.

    On a side note that I just remembered, you have the option from the phone company to buy into a package that looks for CID numbers and if the number is from a PBX or is otherwise not listed, it shows up a 'Call Intercept', making the person on the other end state who they are. Your phone rings and you get a 'You are being called by '<name of person here>', to accept this call, press 1...'. Would that be considered discrimination? Hardly, as you're just trying to avoid computer-generated telemarketing calls or whatnot. Same goes for drug dealers getting cell phone calls from people on street corners looking for a fix.

    But then again, that's just my opinion.

    EDIT: to whoever left neg AP's, (I could pm you with my opinions but you didn't sign your name, hehe..) I disagree with your statement. When you don't pay your phone bill on either a cell phone or a land line, you can still call 911 or the operator but you can't operate it outside of that. How 'redlining' applies to this is lost to me only because cell phones not receiving PAY PHONE calls isn't a prevention of service, nor is it forcing higher services. Cell phones used by drug dealers were brought about to avoid tracing as well as mobility and working around being tacked onto on account.
    If it were land-lines not being able to take cell phone calls, now there's a problem, especially if it's because "you only have basic service". Once again, I have no problems with the negative APs (outside of the fact that I stated that these were my opinions and you posted neg aps on an opinion but didn't sign your name), but understand that your comment didn't hold much weight.
    We the willing, led by the unknowing, have been doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much with so little for so long that we are now qualified to do just about anything with almost nothing.

  10. #10
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    My OPINION is in favor of confirmed_kills statements of discrimination. Plotting out neighborhoods because of economic status can be defined no other way. It's choosing a special course of action based upon social status. Of course, then again, I consider BET, Lifetime, and Oxygen to be discriminatory as well.
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