Last week when I was visiting London for HTC's Touch Diamond launch, it dawned on me just how many bright red phone booths there are scattered around the city — even though the city has already removed about 30,000 since 2002.
Is it just me or have pay phones been slowly phased out in the US? The last time I found myself in desperate need of one was when I lost cell phone reception and I needed to extend my Zipcar rental. Other than that, it's just me and my BlackBerry, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
But then again, in the upcoming Sex and the City movie, SJP is spotted using a pay phone (which convinces me that they aren't ready for the vintage label just yet) — thankfully she's wearing gloves! Therefore, maybe in cities like London and NY, they are still regularly used? What's your take? Do you ever use a pay phone?
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only if i am desperate!
1At my college over the years I've been there, they've completely wiped out all pay phones on campus.
2I haven't in years, but I remember using them in my pager days
3Yup, there's one in my college building, I find it cheaper making a quick call on the payphone than in my cell.
4I use them when I'm out of the country, have no working cell phone and want to talk to someone back home without paying the exorbitant hotels charge to call out of the country...
5Yeah when my cell dies or there is no reception and I NEED to reach someone then I have no problems using the pay phone.
6There's a pay phone a couple of blocks from the building where I live. It's pretty worn and covered in graffiti, but I've seen people using it, so I know it works.
7I can't tell you the last time I ever saw one.
8I think 7 years ago two or three times.
9I've never used one.
10I think there's a potential fortune to be made on paid electrical outlets for people whose laptop or cell battery ran out of juice. I've seen one in a store at the Hong Kong International Airport. It's got a whole lot of different wires attached to it, so you can use it even if you don't have your power cable with you... as long as one of the wires fit you gadget, that is.
As long as battery technology still sucks (and as much as every other technology improved by leaps and bounds, battery tech is not seeing a lot of improvement), people will need this. Who wants to hold one of those bacteria colonies (um, I mean, "public phones") and press it close to your ear and mouth when there's a way for you to use your own cellphone?
11i haven't seen a phone booth in forever. of course, we don't have the cute, vintage red booths they have in london. but phone booths in public buildings are cool because you can go in there and have a private conversation on your cell phone without the whole world listening in.
12i used one on campus last friday. i had to call someone to see if they were home so i could borrow their french textbook. normally, i don't call anyone if i can help it - except my mom from home every 2 weeks. i really hate using the phone so avoid doing so as best i can.
13I use a pay phone only if my cell is dead or missing. And then if possible disinfect the phone or my hands.
to quote wikipedia:
14On December 3, 2007, AT&T announced that they will sell all 60,000 pay phones they operate. They state that they "want to get out of the dwindling (payphone) business as more people are switching to mobile (phones)".
When I was younger and didnt have a cell phone I used to use them, but very rarely even then.
15The last time I used them was when my husband turned off my cell phone when I left him... on my roadtrip from Oklahoma to Arizona. Nice guy. Obviously I made the right decision.
16I would only use one if my cell phone battery was dying. Just imagine all the germs on those things. No one ever cleans off payphones....for years, and years, probably.
17yeah seriously - superman is complaining..
18I don't think I've even /seen/ a pay phone in the past year.
19I've NEVER used a payphone; always a cell phone. Besides, my area has/is phasing pay phones out; the only time you see one is in the mall and a few scattered in the middle of downtown. Other than that I rarely see one.
20I only use them occasionally but it's still nice to have them around. When last I used one, it was after an exam to call for a ride. Cell phones aren't allowed in the exam room, unless you leave them up front, which always makes me uncomfortable.
The proctor always says in this scary, scary voice: "If you have at your desk a cell phone or other electronic device, you are committing an ACADEMIC OFFENSE." Brrrr. I'd rather just leave it at home.
They're 50 cents now, up from a quarter. I still like to see them at schools, movie theatres, and malls. Anywhere kids go. Even if you can expect the majority of adults to have cell phones, you can't expect all the kids to.
21Some of those london ones are FILTHY, so no...but in emergency cases yes. I hate how you put in 1 quid and even if you make a 30 second call, it'll still eat up that 1 pound...
22I didn't know they were $0.50 now last I remember it was $0.35 and even when people are desperate they usually ask someone can they use their cell phone.
23I'm not against them or anything, but it's been many years, maybe a decade since I have used one! So, I voted NEVER.
24are there still phone booths around? I swear I don't think I have seen an actual, working pay phone in years
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