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AT&T: The Death Of The Pay Phone
Will exit pay phone business by the end of 2008...

Back in August, AT&T shelved their long-standing "Time of Day" service, which allowed any user to call up and get, well, we'll let you guess. The cell phone has also impacted another AT&T mainstay, the pay phone business, which AT&T today announced they'll be exiting entirely by the end of 2008. The none-too-shocking explanation:

quote:

AT&T's Public Communications unit has continued to experience significant pressure from reduced pay phone usage, primarily as a result of the growth of alternative communications choices, such as wireless phones and personal communication devices.
BellSouth announced they'd be exiting the pay phone business way back in 2001. "This is the right time for us to take this step on behalf of our customers, employees and stockholders," said AT&T's David Huntley, senior vice president for Customer Information Services.

"We expect that independent providers will pick up much of this business, and, as we exit the business, we will be able to refocus our resources to areas that offer stronger growth potential and greater opportunity for the company."
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ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA

1 edit

ninjatutle

Member

R.I.P

I havent used one in years.

elios
join:2005-11-15
Springfield, MO

elios

Member

Re: R.I.P

i have
and its usefull if your cell dies on you
this is a bad plan imo
even Japan the cell capital of the world still has pay phones every were

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium Member
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO

tiger72

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

If you want to make ATT the official state phone company, then i'm sure ATT would be happy to maintain their pay phone system.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

We tried that once, people apparently didn't like it much.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

said by tiger72:

If you want to make ATT the official state phone company, then i'm sure ATT would be happy to maintain their pay phone system.
said by openbox9:

We tried that once, people apparently didn't like it much.
Apparently they did; we're trying to do it again, if you haven't noticed.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to ninjatutle

Premium Member

to ninjatutle
said by ninjatutle:

I havent used one in years.
Has anyone? The cellphone has killed off this business for everyone but people living on the street.

FiL25
Premium Member
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD

1 edit

FiL25

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

Lol.

hahaha. I'll be the guy in your head laughing when you get stuck without a phone on one of the desolate SC streets and all you can see is a closed down gas station and a light on over a payphone... that isn't in service cuz of this! haha

wolfox
Gentle Wolfox
join:2002-11-27
Dunnellon, FL

wolfox

Member

Re: R.I.P

said by FiL25:

Lol.

hahaha. I'll be the guy in your head laughing when you get stuck without a phone on one of the desolate SC streets and all you can see is a closed down gas station and a light on over a payphone... that isn't in service cuz of this! haha
They do not even leave the pay phone in many areas. They're ripped with a black plastic slug put over the socket where the phone mounted to the wall and got it's pair from the pole. In *some* AT&T areas, they are getting ripped for street saturating Wi-Fi, but I am unsure of that project's progress. Mostly though in my neck of the woods, technicians yanking the pay phones usually site that in an effort to control crime and drug dealing, the are removing often unused and remote phones. The ones all up and down my block are gone and all of them on campus where I work have disappeared. The booth is still there, a privacy barrier too - black plug in the wall about 5x5 inches.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9 to FiL25

Premium Member

to FiL25
Amazingly, I was able to survive the first 31 years of my life without a cellphone, and if memory serves me correctly, all while only using a pay phone once...and that was in Germany.

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

1 edit

1 recommendation

dadkins

MVM

Re: R.I.P

Other side of that coin...
I was fine as well without a cell - for as long as cell phones have existed.

I finally got one for when...
There is no Payphone nearby.
Don't always have change.
Can't remember a phone number.
People need to reach me in an emergency.

*HERE*, *FOR ME*, it was finally a doable thing.
So far, I haven't actually needed it, but if the situation ever arises...

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

Re: R.I.P

said by dadkins:

I finally got one for when...
Don't always have change.
So you pay $40 a month for when you don't have a quarter.

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

1 recommendation

dadkins

MVM

Re: R.I.P

No!
My cell only requires $20.00 every THREE MONTHS.
Pre Paid FTW!

$20.00 / 3 = $6.6666666666666666666666666666667 per month.

~$6.66 per month for peace of mind... worth it!

iLive4Fusion
Premium Member
join:2006-07-13

1 recommendation

iLive4Fusion

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

Satanic cellular service ftw

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

What's so satanic about a repeating decimal?

njack
@verizon.net

njack to dadkins

Anon

to dadkins
what prepaid plan is this?

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

dadkins

MVM

Re: R.I.P

»www.virginmobileusa.com/ ··· works.do

Virgin Mobile.

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03 to dadkins

Premium Member

to dadkins
See everyone, even old man Adkins adapts to change...

bhayman
join:2002-01-24
Greenville, PA

1 recommendation

bhayman to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
Now how am I going to call my mistress with out my wife finding her number in my cell phone

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

said by bhayman:

Now how am I going to call my mistress with out my wife finding her number in my cell phone
LOL. You'll have to get one of those pre-paid cellphones and keep that for calling your mistress.

iknow
@alter.net

iknow to bhayman

Anon

to bhayman
get a $30 SIM at T-mo. You can walk in and not even need to give a real name.

David
Premium Member
join:2002-05-30
Granite City, IL

David

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

Do a search on ebay and buy one there.

fatmanskinny
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Wandering
·AT&T FTTP

fatmanskinny to bhayman

Premium Member

to bhayman
said by bhayman:

Now how am I going to call my mistress with out my wife finding her number in my cell phone
Your wife was just on here posting the same about her "Mister". Lol.

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

N3OGH

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

Sounds like someones been listening to the Pina Colada song again....

fatmanskinny
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Wandering

fatmanskinny

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

Lol. I Googled the lyrics for it. Hilarious.

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

N3OGH

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

Damn,

I'm old enough to remember the lyrics to it...

tapeloop
Not bad at all, really.
Premium Member
join:2004-06-27
Airstrip One

tapeloop

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

said by N3OGH:

Damn,

I'm old enough to remember the lyrics to it...
Sadly, I am too. And old enough to remember when there were payphones, and they cost a dime to make a call.

Jim Gurd
Premium Member
join:2000-07-08
Livonia, MI

Jim Gurd

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

said by tapeloop:

and they cost a dime to make a call.
I remember when they raised the price to 20 cents. They would put little blue stickers near the coin slot showing the new price. IIRC in my area this took place around 1976.

I also remember before payphones had dialtone first service. This meant that you had to drop a dime in the phone in order to get a dialtone. If you called the operator or made a call that didn't require coins your dime would be returned to you automatically.

cdigioia
Premium Member
join:2005-06-08
korea, repub

cdigioia to N3OGH

Premium Member

to N3OGH
Hey I'm 23 & I know the lyrics...

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Katy, TX

MysticGogeta

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

I'm 18 and I do also..
budone
join:2002-09-07
Coopersville, MI

budone to N3OGH

Member

to N3OGH
The song is Escape!

Madcap
Baby's on Fire
Premium Member
join:2004-06-26
Fpo, AP

Madcap to bhayman

Premium Member

to bhayman
*68 before the number, Restricted Call!
freebird152
join:2006-10-06
Dinuba, CA

freebird152

Member

Re: R.I.P

*67

Good times!

PolarBear03
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium Member
join:2005-01-03

PolarBear03 to bhayman

Premium Member

to bhayman
said by bhayman:

Now how am I going to call my mistress with out my wife finding her number in my cell phone
said by dadkins:

»www.virginmobileusa.com/rates/howitworks.do

Virgin Mobile.
nanoflower
join:2002-07-14
30876

nanoflower to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
Yes, I tried to use one over the Thanksgiving holidays when I went to visit some friends. Unfortunately the pay phone company proved unreliable and I never could reach my friends even though I had the phone number.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:
said by ninjatutle:

I havent used one in years.
Has anyone? The cellphone has killed off this business for everyone but people living on the street.
Oh really? I don't live on the street rather in a very nice condo on the ocean. I use pay phones. I don't have a cell phone and don't want one (I read Stephen King's novel Cell ). I see no move by HawaiianTelCom to remove pay phones in Hawaii yet Hawaii leads the nation in cell phone usage.

••••

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Katy, TX

1 recommendation

MysticGogeta to ninjatutle

Premium Member

to ninjatutle
Seen one with shit all over it. Yes Shit.

•••

biggbrother
Premium Member
join:2001-11-07
Providence, RI

biggbrother to ninjatutle

Premium Member

to ninjatutle
Hey, "$0.25 a minute to anywhere in the U.S.A." was a bargain!

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

Re: R.I.P

said by biggbrother:

Hey, "$0.25 a minute to anywhere in the U.S.A." was a bargain!
When growing up at the Beach in North Carolina, I remember it was only 10¢ to make a call and I got pissed off one summer when it was doubled to 20¢ without warning. This had to be in the late 70's early 80's as I was a teen.
numismatist
join:2007-10-26
New York, NY

numismatist to ninjatutle

Member

to ninjatutle
Well, here in NYC, all the formerly ubiquitous emergency red fire call boxes and police emergency boxes were disconnected some years ago. The city had a agreement with ATT to have pay phones in these locations instead.
So, I assume that they will remain in place.

Anyway, 25 cents for a 5 minutes local call is still cheaper than daytime cell minutes, and local here includes over 10 million tel numbers, so they probably still get use. There is still one phone booth left across the street. Next to the bus stop- good place to wait in the rain....
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to ninjatutle

Premium Member

to ninjatutle
im only 27 and remember when i carried a dime as a kid incase i needed to use a pay phone. its a sad day in telecom but it was certainly coming as the cell got as common as the microwave.
BuzzDar
join:2006-01-28
West Frankfort, IL

BuzzDar

Member

Thats ATT for ya

So much for att cell phone customers being able to use a pay phone when there cell phone dont work. Guess its Less Calls In Fewer Places.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

1 edit

patcat88

Member

turn into cell towers

What do you do when your cellphone is lost, or runs out of battery?

I remember years ago when you could find a pay phone anywhere. They littered Central Business Districts like weeds and trees sticking outside of the sidewalk. 7 years later, all I see are screw holes in the ground. Bad thing that payphones are going away. They should all be made into picocells/minicells for all the coverage holes that exist, and for extra capacity. They can use licensed spectrum, and T1/DSL lines as backhaul, and maybe a couple pairs as power from the CO. The payphones maintained by independents often seem to be vandalized or dead.

•••

Fred Ziffel
@bellsouth.net

Fred Ziffel

Anon

BellSouth

BellSouth has been out of the payphone business for years.

dslwanter
20 years on this site
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Mineral Ridge, OH
·Armstrong
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-LR
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X SFP

1 edit

dslwanter

Premium Member

This shouldn't be allowed to happen

Believe it or not there are still people who are too poor to afford phone service or a cell phone. What about when someone breaks down and their cell phone is dead, they know their is (or use to be) a payphone up the street from them. They start walking and it's not even there. I'm not one to like to stop at some stranger's house and ask to use their phone. Since it's not a government regulated thing, I don't expect to see anything done about it. I also can't begin to tell you how the slightest local emergancy causes the cell towers to overload. Everytime there's a tornado warning issued for Mahoning county I can't use my cell at all. Oh well, there goes AT&T with their big dick again.

•••••••••••••••••••••
thevorpal1
join:2007-11-16
Alexandria, VA

thevorpal1

Member

Just this morning...

I passed a free local public phone this morning and thought that it would be an interesting business opportunity, but basically came to the same understanding that AT&T did. Public phones in the US just aren't cost effective.

Not that people won't use a pay phone from time to time, but the return on the investment just can't materialize when these phones collect less than $1/call. The costs to develop, install and maintain these phones through the abuse, graffiti, and harsh elements just won't be offset by the few people that might use them.

This won't be the death of the payphone, you will still see them in select areas (outside school dorms, bus/train stations, etc) but to maintain them as some sort of uninterrupted service area is definitely ending.

•••••••••

jjoshua
Premium Member
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ

jjoshua

Premium Member

Payphones are a public service

This is where the FCC should step in and mandate that the ILECs provide pay phones as a public service.

Too bad that it's not a money maker for AT&T.

•••
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

1 recommendation

19579823 (banned)

Member

Who cares......

There are other carriers besides those losers.......
amungus
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
America

amungus

Premium Member

the real reason

So, the real reason must be that they don't want you to escape from the Matrix

Seriously, it is kind of sad. See 'em disappearing from time to time and it's just really sad. Sure, most people pass them by, but it's nice to know they exist for all those reasons listed above. Like another poster, every time a storm/tornado warning comes along, or in spring/fall when students come and go, cell phones might as well be left on the charger all day because you MIGHT be able to make/receive a call at some point if you're lucky... though it's been getting better as they build more towers...

Still, R.I.P. to the payphones being ripped out.

pokesph
It Is Almost Fast
Premium Member
join:2001-06-25
Sacramento, CA

pokesph

Premium Member

death of AT&T

so yet another nail in the coffin of AT&T (and it's clones)

It's too bad, too.. seems the "phone" company doesn't want to be a phone company any longer..

ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA

ninjatutle

Member

Re: death of AT&T

This is the way of the future. Like "Health Care" companies really care about your health.

mandate
@verizon.net

mandate

Anon

Instead of payphones..

Payphones have been an unfunded mandate for sometime now..
What should replace payphones are some sort of localized wireless & wired access line for emergency services and/or call/message sending (a 21st century box). Many places like supermarkets, strip malls and the like already have wireless internet access & kiosks, so that we are not without communications. Cell phones call 911 even without activation. In real emergencies, messages can get to the right people. Avoid desolate areas unless you like taking risks. I still think that there should be strategically placed hard-wired communications (for emergency purposes) throughout the country, just not as much as there are payphones. For example, in NYC there were (probably still are some) emergency phones strategically placed in areas like bridges and bad neighborhoods to prevent tragedies from happening or getting worse. This is still necessary, just don't expect AT&T to fund it. Municipalities will have to foot the bill (and in turn taxpayers).

inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK

inteller

Member

more of our privacy disappearing.

One more source of anaonymous communications going away. I guess ATT hadn't bugged these phones yet so it is better just to pull them out of the ground.

•••••••

pleekmo
Triptoe Through The Tulips
Premium Member
join:2001-09-14
Manchester, CT

pleekmo

Premium Member

Legacy

I am one of those too poor to afford a cellular phone. There used to be two pay phones near each other at a main intersection in my town which happens to be on my bicycle ride into work. They are now gone. The next nearest pay phone is about a third of a mile away and it may be very fortunate that I just happen to know where it is. But the if there ever should happen to be some sort of emergency at that particular intersection, I think that the fastest way to get the police there might be to throw a rock through the window of the bank there at that intersection.

This may be the legacy of the death of the pay phone.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

2 recommendations

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: Legacy

said by pleekmo:

I am one of those too poor to afford a cellular phone.
You can always send an IM with your DSL connection.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

Re: Legacy

said by openbox9:

said by pleekmo:

I am one of those too poor to afford a cellular phone.
You can always send an IM with your DSL connection.
Or use skype

lordfly
join:2000-10-12
Homestead, FL

lordfly

Member

Payphones necessity for farm workers and migrants

Here in Homestead, there are pay phones located around and near the low income housing. The users of these phones do not have the money to purchase a cell, or even a house phone. They only call internationally, so they save up their money and buy calling cards so they can talk to their loved ones.

I agree that Pay Phones should be called Public Phones. Local 5 minute calls are free and any other time they have to use a calling card.

To the person who commented about phone booths. We haven't had a phone booth down here in decades.

And, I was surprised to here about the Time of Day service. Here in South Florida we call 305-324-8811. Is is an advertiser paid free service that gives you an ad, then the local temperature and time. It gets about 2 million calls a month.
rma1533
join:2007-12-03

rma1533

Member

Re: Payphones necessity for farm workers and migrants

Who paid off the State Public Service Commissions?

Payphone service, like "lifeline" service, is (or was?) mandatory, i.e., for the public good. Lest we forget, "lifeline" service was a concession for granting the privilege of monopoly status in the first place. At least one Public payphone was required in every exchange, for public safety, and to serve the economically disadvantaged. Obviously the Commissions and legislators are looking the other way now and letting the Telcos break there word and get away with what ever they damn well want.

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

dadkins

MVM

Most are not AT&T

At least, not the ones I see.

burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA

burgerwars

Member

Pay Phones

There will still be private companies providing pay phones. But there are fewer of those, they may not be reliable in maintaining their phones, they'll charge onerous rates, plus they'll choose the most profitable locations (like the international terminal at an airport, in jails, etc.).

But it looks like those who may need to use a payphone for whatever reason (they forgot their cellphone, it broke, it's lost, no cellular service, they're a kid trying to call home from school, etc.) will be out of luck, even in an emergency.

The other day I went to Downtown L.A. and ate at Philippe's, which is in an historic building selling mainly their famous french-dipped sandwiches. I saw five pay phone booths in a row inside the restaurant. I thought that's an unusual site. When I went to check them out, only one of the five was connected. The other four were disconnected, but are still there for decoration.
SilverSurfer1
join:2007-08-19

1 edit

1 recommendation

SilverSurfer1

Member

Murphy's Law Will Strike

Ha. I can't wait to hear about the cell phone idiots complaining about not being able to get a signal OR find a phone when their vehicle breaks down on the side of the road in bumblefuck nowhere at 2a.m. and the only sign of civilization is a filthy gas station that is closed and the only light source is where the pay phone used to be.

••••••

capecoddah
join:2005-03-18
Yarmouth Port, MA

capecoddah

Member

I'll miss pay phones

I used pay phones when I did alot of coastal cruising. Call home to say I was alive and here is where I am. Pay phones at the end of the street when I was a live-aboard was a popular place. I HATE cell phones, had 2. First one I used MAYBE 12 times in the 2 year plan. Second one was given to me by a woman that was a bit high-maintenace. I threw it overboard.

I still keep 2 quarters in my wallet, but asking for a pay phone will usually get an offer to use a cell phone.

burgerwars
join:2004-09-11
Northridge, CA

1 recommendation

burgerwars

Member

Re: I'll miss pay phones

said by capecoddah:

I HATE cell phones, had 2. First one I used MAYBE 12 times in the 2 year plan. Second one was given to me by a woman that was a bit high-maintenace. I threw it overboard.
The cellphone or the woman?
NightHawke7
join:2002-02-28
Rockport, TX

NightHawke7

Member

Black Box Time

Or is a Red one? Grab those pairs and hook'em up to a Black Box and start injecting tones into their switches and see if you can make a call.

•••
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT
·Frontier FiberOp..

tired_runner

Premium Member

Bad idea

Call me old school but as convenient as a cell phone can be, I'd depend on a landline in an emergency any given day, especially when everyone and their mother tends to overflood cell networks whenever something bad happens.

Just because it's not a cash cow anymore doesn't imply they're not useful.
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