Cutting the Cord - Say Good-Bye To Pay Phones

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.yle.fi/news/id10425.html' target='_blank'>http://www.yle.fi/news/id10425.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Before the end of 2005, TeliaSonera plans to cuts the lines to its telephone booths. Elisa also plans to phase out its public telephones by the end of the decade. In addition to phasing out public telephones, phone companies are also cutting back on their fixed land line telephone network. A TeliaSonera manager says that the goal is to encourage the use of wireless services. This will lead to the elimination of all of Finland's 1.5 million telephone poles."</i><br /><br />Ok, so we're not talking about this year, next year, or even the year after that. And it's not even here in North America, but it's starting to happen. Pay phones are slowing starting to be phased out and replaced by cell phones. Would you even notice? When was the last time you put some change into a pay phone?

[Kris Kumar]

Last time I used a pay phone was 5 years ago. It was because my cell phone battery had died. :lol: And luckily I had enough change.

That was the day I decided that I will never own a cell phone without car charger.

[lurch]

I had to chuckle about 2-3 days ago when I saw a man standing right next to a pay phone in an alley talking on his cell phone. :)

Didn't I hear something a while back about the phone companies attempting to turn the pay phone booths or stations into something differnet that would still be useful? I don't remember what the "different" thing was, though.

[Mike Temporale]

I had to chuckle about 2-3 days ago when I saw a man standing right next to a pay phone in an alley talking on his cell phone. :)

That would have made a nice picture. :lol:

Didn't I hear something a while back about the phone companies attempting to turn the pay phone booths or stations into something differnet that would still be useful? I don't remember what the "different" thing was, though.

Around here, some of them have been turned into Pay-As-You-Go Internet access, and others have become vending machines for Pay-As-You-Go cellphone service.

[Jerry Raia]

How about turning them into public toilets? it most downtown areas they are anyway. :lol:

[Mark Larson]

I don't think I like the idea of there being no payphones. Seems like a public service is being phased out and being replaced with a private one that's more expensive. :?
I use my cell all the time, but I guess I want it both ways - i want to be able to use a payphone if the need arises. I'd much rather trust a landline in an emergency too.

[Jerry Raia]

I would be afraid to stand near most of the pay phones I see, let alone touch one or put it up to my face.