this post was submitted on 13 Dec 2025
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There's still a lot of payphones in my country. They're free now and no longer accept money and they also provide free wifi. Recently I've been seeing signs on them that kids can call Santa
Australia? My guess/ memory is that they earn more from advertising than the cost to maintain them. I think that's more dystopian. An ageing technology is allowed to keep using public spaces to advertise of they frame it as a public good.
Idk I don't mind that the very poor that don't have phones still have an option to make phone calls. I know a lot of victims of abuse use them as a way to make phone calls that aren't monitored by their abusive partner. The homeless can use them, or maybe your phone died. I don't recall seeing ads on them but I'm not exactly looking out for payphones.
Plus I'd hardly can a phone call "ageing technology". I mean yes it's an old technology, but still very relevant especially for those that don't have other means of contact
I thought poor people were given free government-paid smartphones? Anyone who qualifies for food stamps can get a free smartphone. Is that no longer a thing? Last time I checked that was around 2016 I guess.
Only if you are super poor enough to qualify, and have time and the capacity to jump through all the hoops to get one, and you live somewhere that there is a provider that has coverage, and ect, ect., then you can get a discount on your cell plan. For some people who are "lucky enough" to be super poor enough, the discount can actually be enough to make the phone essentially $0.
In the US that's true but don't remind them or they'll take it away!
Is this what they started calling Obama phones, since I’m guessing this started during the Obama administration, and that’s just another Republican shitspeak.
The free phone program started earlier but was expanded to smartphones (for Internet and also because homeless people don't have a landline) under Obama. And yes, Republicans shat on it.
The Telstra pay phone boxes near me now all have massive ridiculously bright screens displaying advertisements. For sure that is their primary purpose now.
I think they are still around because the government told them they can't remove them. They are considered a public resource. Remember, Telstra used to be a government entity before it was privatised.
If they offer wifi I’m guessing the phones are VOIP?
That's adorable :)
Which country? Are you restricted to where you can call? Like local calls only? I’m guessing they are VOIP though?
Australia. I believe it's local calls only, and yeah I'd assume it's using VOIP
This Santa?