Payphones A Thing Of The Past?

[Infiltrator]

I found this article about the decline of payphones. I thought this might occur since cell phones have become wide spread but this is the first article I have seen about the decline of payphone usage. I wonder how long it will take for payphones to be a thing of the past.

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/newsta...E-033523CF2D60

[DeadAddict]

They may never go away alot of people don't have cell phones. and don't want to have to deal with a calling plan or buy a phone just to make a few calls every so often It maybe like in the movies where there are video phones. Only time will tell what happends

[cutty]

I don't think payphones will ever go away. There are just to many circumstances where a payphone comes handy.

Just a few for example:
1. Dead cell phone battery
2. No cell phone
3. Home service cut

and the list goes on. So IMO I don't see how payphones will ever go away. They well be used less but will never completely disappear.

Guidance...

[Ennis]

What the hell is superman gonna do?

[NeuTron]

Originally posted here by Ennis
What the hell is superman gonna do?

looks like he'll have to resort to the construction site bathrooms.

[fourdc]

Actually pay phones are going away. If you are a commercial enterprise (bar, restaraunt, etc) and you want to install a payphone, you have to guarantee the minimum that the phone company allows on apay phone. Calling card calls don't count, we're talking coins in the phone. The phone company is removing public payphone doesn't pay for itself. As I said the card calls don't count, they are looking at paid calls.

Pay phones are practical but profit rules the day.

[Infiltrator]

The lack of use will also affect "third party" payphones. These are ones that are not owned by the local telco but by a private induavidual or company. Some of these phones are not real payphones. They are hooked up to a regular bussiness line and have a fake dial tone. The henadset does not function untill you put money in the phone. This was done to try and defeat misuse. A business line is expensive and can cost up to $100 per month. I have not see these types of phones in my area in about two years. I have also noticed recently that the local malls have less payphones than they use to. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[steve.milner]

Originally posted here by cutty
Just a few for example:
1. Dead cell phone battery
2. No cell phone
3. Home service cut

Not mention being used for the nuisance calls the kid is going to make once he gets his tutor's phone number.