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Comment by femto | Hacker News Reader

Australia's Telstra has reversed its position on closing phone boxes, as they have now realised the value of the real estate they occupy. They are now placing 5G base stations and WiFi access points on phone boxes, and have a bonus revenue stream from advertising hoardings. It's not worth charging for the calls so calls from public phones are now free.

They are probably kicking themselves for previously doing away with so many phone boxes, as in the past they had saturation coverage of the cities with lots of 1m^2 blocks of real estate: perfect for 5G.

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In the UK BT has been doing somthing similar in towns and cities with phone boxes that are basically advertsting hoardings with with a phone attached. ISTR reading some grumblings about how they were somewhat misuing favourable planning law treatment of phone boxes for these.

This new set of rules is presumably more applicable to rural and suburban phone boxed that won't have many favourable alternative uses or revenue sources.

> had saturation coverage of the cities with lots of 1m^2 blocks of real estate

Tfw learning a new perspective every day :)

Where I am Telstra has also made these telephone boxes available for use - completely for free. Though I've never seen anyone using them, probably because nowadays everyone and their dog has mobile phones.

> - completely for free

I guess this is because coin boxes encourage vandalism and require someone to go empty them. Upgrading them to credit card machines is probably far more expensive than the revenue they'll ever earn.

My guess is that because relatively few people are interested in using them (due to ~90% of Australia's population having cell phones) it means if they charged money and somebody didn't have a phone they'd likely just ask someone to borrow theirs for a second. Plus with VOIP calls are nearly free and they already have an internet uplink right there for the 5G.

I figure the only people that would choose to use them nowadays are likely in some type of "emergency" and can't use their cell - whether it's they left their phone at home, battery is dead, etc.

...nobody remembers numbers anymore.

I remember plenty of numbers. The ones I dialed in the 90s. Friends I haven't seen for 20 years, who no longer live in the same country - I know their number. My phone number I had from when I was 6-10? Yup.

My landline number now? No idea. I use it a lot (no real cell coverage at home)

Yeah that's why I figure it'd have to be something fairly important - most people should at least know their area's emergency number, and hopefully at least one close friend/spouse/partner/parents to help you out. In the states we carry a paper with our insurance info which will include a tow company if you have towing insurance.

I mean, I know enough numbers by heart to get myself out of a rough situation and my phone is unusable.

Generally, I would recommend most people at least commit one or two to memory. Enough to pass a message along to your wider network or to get assistance.

Can still remember 911.

867-530_ Course you may need to be Gen X or a Boomer to know that reference.

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