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AT&T to Phase Out Pay Phones By 2009
The writing is on the cave wall as a tried and true friend moves from city mainstay to relic of the Stone Age. Telephone giant AT&T will leave the pay phone market by the end of 2008, the company announced today. PR Newswire reports that the widespread use of cell phones and other communication devices has left AT&T with a declining market it no longer wishes to pursue. The phasing out of public pay phones and phones contracted out to correctional facilities will begin immediately and be limited to AT&T's thirteen state service area. Verizon, meanwhile, continues to offer pay phone service in 33 out of 50 states.
The move by AT&T, though, follows a general trend in the shrinking pay phone market. BellSouth Corporation, an AT&T acquisition in 2006, halted pay phone service in its nine state area in 2001. Indeed, today there are only about 1 million public pay phones in the United States, compared to 2.8 million in 1998. It is expected, however, that independent providers will pick up a portion of AT&T's business. In its announcement, the company assured customers that it will honor all existing contracts over the next year, while publicizing alternative providers and service options.
As sentimental as we can get about the passing of an era into a new, annoying age in which even nine year-olds have a CrackBerry and Bluetooth headset attached to the dome, we realize that it's true: All good things must come to an end, especially when we're talking wireless.
From PR Newswire Via MarketWatch (AOL Money & Finance)
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 5)
mary valantine said 8:09AM on 12-08-2007
if we do away with pay phones how would a child that has been Kidnapped be able to get help, not everyone has cell phones or can afford them just like not everyone has computers or can afford them just like not everyone has credit cards or can afford them.their are still Poor people in this world take off your rose colored Glasses and take a look on the other side of the railroad track as the people who had money in myday used to say dot bother with them they come from the other side of the track.because being poor is a stigmatism.to them. but to me it wasn;t anyones fault it just happened.we still have it and worse than ever.
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mary said 8:13AM on 12-08-2007
Pay Phones are essential, the cell phones are not always in use sometimes the Battries are dead or out of range. not everyone has one. please leave them their still needed the elderly hate change and most do not have cell phones or want them.
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Bob Brooks said 8:19AM on 12-08-2007
I would be interested in purchasing a discarded pay phone as a collectible
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Mary said 8:29AM on 12-08-2007
I believe that the Cosby Show had a scene where Cliff had a pay phone installed in the house to shorten the kid's phone time. Perhaps that isn't such a bad idea. Maybe they will give them away too!
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iaintsayingwho said 8:52AM on 12-08-2007
i dont own a cell, so what would happen if i got lost? see, they just do that on purpose. 4 the rest of my life, i'm gonna be walking in the rain. with no one to call.
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Ralph Garcia said 9:00AM on 12-08-2007
Please keep pay phones. When we had hurricane Katrina, hurricane Rita, hurricane Wilma in the second part of 2006, the only thing that really worked were pay phones in South Florida. Also I gave mine up as it's in a drawer in my computer desk. I stopped using it after finding out that comic book artist Michael Turner got cancer on his hip bone. Before he was diagnosed, he had it on him there all times of the day.
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PB said 9:04AM on 12-08-2007
We definitely need to keep pay phones around . There are way to many areas cell phone usrs can't get service. I feel much better knowing my kids have the option of a pay phone in case they forget or lose their cell phone.
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JJ said 9:11AM on 12-08-2007
Not everybody have cellphone. Hearing impaired can hear the pay phone with volumn control better than cellphone.
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bim4m123 said 9:22AM on 12-08-2007
Not to worry! Their are plenty of Independent Payphone Companies that have taken away business from AT&T and Verizon that are providing payphone service at locations where there is still a need for them.
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Reality Check said 9:22AM on 12-08-2007
Recently landed in Tucson, couldn't get a cell signal in the baggage claim area to call my ride from the "cell phone lot". Spotted a pay phone. Should have have been wary when I discovered it only took credit cards. Later found it cost me $5.76 to make a 1 min local call.
If that's the future of pay phones you can rip 'em all out, I'll use smoke signals...
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Rick Morrow said 9:32AM on 12-08-2007
How will Liberals call home from the NUTHOUSE?
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joncdodge said 9:49AM on 12-08-2007
yeah this is a dumb idea... we still need land lines in case of an emergency...
JonBoy
http://curiousread.com
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Audrey Cabral said 9:56AM on 12-08-2007
Pay phones are a link to feelings of security, convenience, and safety. Also, many people cannot afford to have a cell phone.
For pay phones to be phased out, is one more of the ever increasing happenings showing lack of caring for human beings in general, in the world today.
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ED CALKINS said 10:14AM on 12-08-2007
Any time the Bell companies drop a service, they are not getting enough profic's. Back in '84, they stopped making telephone's. Now it's the payphone. The poor that can't pay the high priced cell phones Do you think the old & poor people should go back to the CB Radio? Won't have to pay $5 or $6 bucks for one minute of service. (I'm retired from the Baby Bells)
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rich said 10:42AM on 12-08-2007
Reality Check says:
Recently landed in Tucson, couldn't get a cell signal in the baggage claim area to call my ride from the "cell phone lot". Spotted a pay phone. Should have have been wary when I discovered it only took credit cards. Later found it cost me $5.76 to make a 1 min local call.
If that's the future of pay phones you can rip 'em all out, I'll use smoke signals...
12/08/07 9:22 AM
So you think that one single call for .25/50 cents will pay for the maintenece in a desolate arae. Please they need to make money to survive. The FCC made a law back in 1996 that would allow these phones to remain if FCC chair Martin would enforce it. Then payphones would remain around until there is a far better alternative. Be thankful that phone was there for you to use.
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rmaro17921 said 10:42AM on 12-08-2007
Payphones are surely still needed. If the FCC would enforce the rateIPP's use to buy dial tone it would save many payphones in low income araes as well as rural. The law needs to be enforced relating to the 1996 Tel-Com act so these providers can keep the remaining phones in place. Write FCC chairman Martin.
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Rachel said 10:56AM on 12-08-2007
A lot of people including myself don't have land lines in our homes. Unfortunetly cell phones are not always reliable or they get lost and broken, so having a back up at the corner-mart is nice.
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Barb said 11:12AM on 12-08-2007
IS Anyone thinking...what you need to call 911 in an emergency situation..a crime is being committed or someone is hurt or being killed...and you need the police and help ASAP.
Say you are in a rural area and there is noone there...noone with cell phones-and you're all alone and someone is hurt and your car is broke down or you are walking...a pay phone may be your ONLY way to signal for HELP...I think they are making a big mistake here and only after a few lives are lost from it,will they wake up and realize what we did.
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LisaS said 11:18AM on 12-08-2007
Leave it to the dummies at AT&T to discontinue a service that is still highly valued to the masses...Leave pay phones alone! Not everyone has nor can afford a cell phone!
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morgomanmoro said 11:24AM on 12-08-2007
We all appreciate the pay phone when we need it. This is not a matter of whether or not the pay phone is desirable. It is a matter of who will pay for the service. If the service was profitable, we would have auctions that would determine which company could install a payphone. Instead, we have companies opting out. Now we get the democrats piping up about the necessity of the pay phone ant that ATT shall keep the service for the public. Folks, ATT is not the government. If you need to tax the big businesses, so be it. But how you spend those taxes, whether it be on pay phones to serve the public or not, is up to the politicians you elect. This is reality.
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