• Robust Mirror@aussie.zone
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    6 months ago

    I like in Australia we never got rid of them. More or less every payphone I saw growing up is still here. But they gave them 2 amazing upgrades:

    1. They are now free to use

    2. They are additionally free Wifi hotspots

    Much better than dismantling them imo. They may not be widely used, but it’s worth it for those that do. I’ve even used it once when my phone went flat and needed to call my wife.

    • Event_Horizon@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      6 months ago

      And the old pay phones came in very useful here in SE QLD after cyclone Alfred. Without power all the cell towers stopped working but the old landlines weren’t affected. People were lining up at the phone at the shops near me.

    • limelight79@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      6 months ago

      Oh that’s nice. We visited Germany about 10 years ago and didn’t get international cell service, so we were relying on hotel wifi and other wifi hotspots. This kind of thing would have been great.