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THE FUTURE OF public payphones is to come under the spotlight as they continue to be used less and less.
Eir is required under its public service obligation to maintain a reasonable public payphone system, but if a payphone is used for less than a minute a day over six months then Eir can remove it.
ComReg is now conducting a consultation period to ask the public if it thinks this system is fair.
Speaking today on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, Eir’s corporate affairs director Paul Bradley refused to give a company position on the need for payphones. He did, however, point out that their usage has dramatically fallen.
“I’ve seen where cases where people are stepping outside a payphone when it’s raining to make a call on a mobile phone,” Bradley said.
The Public Service Obligation is there to provide for a need… A long time ago when not everyone had a phone, then payphone served an intricate part of Irish life, nowadays methods of communication are fundamentally changing.
Bradley says that people are “voting for the feet and not using them” .
Nobody is being caught short without a method of communication. If you went to meet someone and they weren’t there you’d use your mobile phone. And we know that mobile phone usage in terms of the number of handsets people have is near ubiquitous.
Eir is also allowed to remove a public payphone if there is evidence that it is being used for anti-social behaviour or if there is a request from a local authority for it to be taken away.
Bradley says there has been a number of incidents like this.
Respondents to ComReg’s public consultation have until 24 June to forward their submission.
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Unfortunately, any of the ones near where I work are used more by junkies as loos than for actual phone calls
Oi! I’m no junkie
Eeer eyem eeder
But they are good to have as an emergency if your batter runs out on your mobile. They should be required to keep some for public service reasons yes as they do now.
Replace them with emergency charge stations. Much cheaper. Simples!
True but there was an article here a few days ago about the dangers of charging stations and data transfer.
My company had payphones throughout the City Centre, Grafton Street, Wicklow Street, Henry Street, and along the central median of O’Connell Street at the O’Brien Monument and north of the Spire along with other locations. Six years ago we unbolted the lot, threw them in a truck and recycled the stainless steel. Two reasons for doing so. One, they were not making money even back then and second, with the increase of druggies using them there was a responsibility in terms of hygiene for anyone picking up a handset and breathing in the germs and other foreign matter regardless of how many times they were cleaned.
Whatever about stainless steel pedestals there was no need for enclosed “kiosks” because they are a security risk to the city in terms of terrorist placing a bag inside and walking away. There was a spokesperson from Eir on the wireless this morning and he gave a number of lame excuses as to why they are not removed. The real reason they are not removed is, against the terms of the license that Dublin City Council give for their erection in the first place is, they are using them for their advertising panels. They don’t care if the phone ever works once they get advertising. The second reason they are not removed is, the previous company, Eircom, were in such a rush to control the sites that they erected them by pouring mass concrete into a big hole. Instead of unbolting them they would have to dig them up but either way they should be all taken away.
Even the prisoners in Mountjoy and Portlaoise have mobile phones at this stage.
Why not do what smart countries have done? Turn them into a mixed WiFi hotspot, videophone (FT & Skype) and public internet terminal in key areas. They’ve done that in London and even in West end they’re left alone
Totally agree, Ryan. Turn them into WiFi hotspots. It would definitely help with the slow 3G/4G networks of Three, Vodafone, and especially Eir(COM).
You will not miss them till you need one. I used one two days ago, first time in years but it saved me with a car breakdown.
If the phone number for the insurance company was freephone I would have been okay, no such luck.
Was a great day when my 11 year old self realised you could ring and prank any international operator from these babies for free
A few antique ones that don’t work would be nice just to remind us of why we stopped using them. Don’t forget to jam the coin box with an old bent 20p coin.
And how long before some homeless guy puts his sleeping bag in there?
Remove the sides, Take away the cubicle part so people won’t use them as toilets & junkies don’t use them either. Leave the phone on a stand with a shelter above.
First time I witnessed one being used in ages was some guy asleep in one near Phoenix Park yesterday.
Press button A if you agree or button B if you want your money back.
I still feel that there payphones are still important. Yes methods of communication have changed for the better, lot’s of people have mobiles these days, but at the same time they’re there for convenience and emergencies. I had one fellow in my office the other day asking me if there was a payphone near by. I’ve also used payphones myself when I was low on phone credit, or had a low battery. So I think they still serve a purpose.
Is there no phone in your office?! In an emergency you would be quicker finding someone with a mobile than a phone box! Nice for nostalgia but entirely pointless…
Lol! I walked 3 miles on country roads 2 hours ago to get a cab, and had to walk into a country pub and ask them to ring one for me as my phone got sunburn this morn and wouldn’t work! 45 quid for the taxi. Could have done with a payphone.
You could do with re-typing in a way that we could understand, i.e. proper English and using punctuation properly!!
Relax John, I have seen a lot worser….
UndieGrundy – I know how you feel .
The starlet for another debutante buried the irreconcilable brush. And some botched snow plans an escape from some necromancer a cream puff. 20 Quid for that ,
Could have done with a payphone
UndieGrundy is James Joyce and I claim my prize!
Wasn’t there a free call scam on the white ones in the early 90′s. You could stick a knife down the coin slot to flick some kind of a switch to allow free calls?
The city manager will get another brown envelope for replacing them with JC Decaoux advertising signs. Lining their pockets at every opportunity— Dublin City Bikes was a great earner for the previous city manager or the head of the planning office.
I though Dublin Bikes was run at a loss and supplemented by DCC?
Ah ……. memories! Making dates or trying to make dates ……… conducting relationships with girls who lived in flats with the payphone in the hall …….. trying to contact mates to make up a team. What a trial it was ……… but we knew no better!
“Phonewreckers are idiots”. So said bob geldof.
I think its time for charger stalls than phone booths, we defo run out ta battery so what’s better than our own charging stalls , maybe put in bars or restaurants so it charges while u eat or drink
The aul phone boxes are a great place for a slash after the pubs & fast food joints are closed….
FYI, In Estonia last working payphone was shut down in February 2011.
So yes, Its about time Ireland does the same! :)
Eir have replaced the payphones in Limerick with V shaped advertising boards with a phone stuck in the middle. Chancers.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a public pay phone. Where are they? Even 7 year olds use mobile phones now!
Actually saw someone using one the other day. First time in at least 6 years, think they have had their day.
Don’t really care about the phones, but the old square windowed kiosks like the one in the photo should be preserved. The Perspex ones can be ripped down though.
How about turning them into AED kiosks instead? Would get more use
http://fundraising.co.uk/2011/07/20/bt-sponsors-defibrillators-disused-red-phone-boxes/
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