RSSThe last AT&T pay phone, as a chapter of history closes
By Ed Oswald | Published December 4, 2007, 8:30 AM
With cellular phones becoming ever more popular, most companies in the pay phone business are deciding maybe its a good idea to get out now.
AT&T is the latest to announce its exit. In a statement Monday, it said that it would honor all customer service and contracts for the time being, but would exit completely from the market by the end of next year.
The company says with reduced usage of the phones, it is in turn putting 'pressure' on AT&T's bottom line. Both the pay phone business as well as the contracted phones the company places in correctional facilities would be phased out.
Customers wouldn't be left high and dry, however. The San Antonio, Texas communications company would attempt to find alternate service providers for customers that may still need service.
AT&T's announcement is the latest in a string of companies abandoning the market. Bellsouth, which was acquired by the company, shuttered its pay phone in late 2006. Verizon has also made overtones that it was phasing out its pay phones across its service area in recent years.
"This is the right time for us to take this step on behalf of our customers, employees and stockholders," customer information services chief David Huntley said. He expected that independent providers would pick up much of the business.
Approximately 1 million pay phones are in service today, down more than half from a high of 2.6 million phones in 1998. The first public coin telephone in the US appeared in Hartford, Conn. in 1889.
An online memorial to the public telephone has already been established, at PhoneBooth.org.
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| The ubiquitousness of the telephone booth in modern culture is exemplified by this exaggerated scenario: a booth on the side of the road, from an AT&T ad circa 1954. [Courtesy phonebooth.org] |
Boo hoo hoo. So we eliminate a health hazard from society - finally.
No one realized that the payphone handsets were a source of disease and deadly bacteria.
Ever looked before placing a filthy receiver against your ear or smelled a horrible odor from the mic because it was infected with bacteria? Possible sources of mengenitis and strep throat.
Ever touched the keys with the tips of your fingers then picked your nose afterwards or rubbed your eyes?
Maybe you used the payphone then had lunch with something that was finger licken good.
The bottom line is that using a payphone without anti contamination gear is no different than washing your face with the water from a public toilet bowel. How many lives have been lost because of this health hazard or how many people have gotten ill days after using a payphone?
Maybe the question is how much revenue will the health care industry loose with the extinction of the payphone.
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|Wow we have come a long way, can't recall the last time I used a payphone.
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|I'm sure they will leave them in places like airports where people from another country get off a plane with a cell phone that is incompatible with our systems wil still need a way to call people.
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|I imaging this will turn out like ATMs. They will still be available, but after use your butt will hurt from the financial rape.
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|NOW what am i supposed to do when broken down and my cell phone is dead or not on me? flash my quarters at passing airplanes?
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|Charge your phone. They even do car chargers so you can forget on a night.
Or you could, if like in the UK, use the phones on the hard shoulder(Side of the road) on the motorway (highway/freeway).
If your female you could hitch your skirt up and pear lost under the bonnet (Hood).
You could knock on a door and beg (ask).
You could go to a shop (store) and ask to use their phone.
Sadly ... you might have to get out of the car and walk a little. Frightening I know.
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|I also thought about what would happen to the working poor if they cannot even afford a cell phone. See what I wrote here: http://iowaguy.newsvine....l-then-no-calls-for-you
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|buy one now, it probibly will be worth sme money in a few years...............
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|Oh no! What is Clark Kent going to do now?
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|Good one.
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