Nowadays, people tend to rely on their mobile phones for everything – from making calls and sending texts, to surfing the internet and paying bills. Having said that, it's essential to always have a backup plan in case of an emergency.

If you find yourself without a phone and in need of immediate communication, you can always use an ‘old-fashioned’ public phone box. Who remembers collecting coins to make a call?

Public phones may have gone out of style, but many of them have not been removed. In fact, they can still be found in towns and cities across the country.

And if you’re not aware, then here’s something that will surprise you: Public phones are now free to use.

That’s right - every call, text message, and even the old T9 SMS is free to use. How handy is that for when your phone runs out of battery or you’re out of credit?

Everyone can use public phones for free. Credit: Shutterstock.

For those living in rural and remote parts of the country, this is a particularly beneficial discovery - since traditional mobile reception is often spotty or non-existent in these areas.

So why has this become an unexpected reality? Has the Government stepped in? Nope. It turns out that it’s (of all things) a Telstra PR stunt - the company needs to recoup their costs for keeping the infrastructure in place to support public phones, and instead of deleting the whole network, they made it free to use.

Plus, it also serves as 'massive, free billboard advertising that would not be allowed for any other business.'

An argument could be made that the advert revenue makes more money than what they would have collected in coins over the last 10 years. Certainly makes you think twice, right?

And not just that - the data shows that, surprisingly, the most called number is Centrelink, indicating that people who need the service are using them.

Now, while this is a great thing, it does have a downside. Because of human nature, the phones can potentially become dirty and unsanitary. While most local phone booths are kept clean and tidy, those in heavily trafficked areas could be prone to filth - so please keep that in mind.

So, it is advised that those who would like to use these phones to bring some hand sanitiser and wipes to clean the phones before use.

Key Takeaways

• Public phone services are now free to use for everyone.
• It is cheaper for businesses to place public phone services than to pay for advertising spots.
• The phone services are also being utilised by those who cannot afford a mobile phone, such as those receiving support from Centrelink.
• When taking advantage of public phone services, it is important for people to practise good hygiene to minimise their risk of exposure to germs.

So there you have it - a surprising free service, courtesy of Telstra. Who knows, you could save money in a pinch with one of these public phones - just don't forget to take a bottle of sanitiser with you!

What do you think of this recent 'discovery'? Better yet, are you one of those people who knew of this free service long before it was reported? Let us know in the comments - and please, share this article with your friends and family.

 

[debjane]

Future generations may never know the thrill of making a reverse-charges call to their parents after Telstra made its 15,000 payphones free.

Key points:​

• Telstra says 11 million calls are made from its payphones each year
• Calls to local and national numbers, and mobile phones will no longer require money
• The Salvation Army says the move will be a "game changer" for vulnerable people

The telco announced today local or national calls to a fixed line or Australian mobile from a Telstra payphone would no longer incur a charge.

The move means the days of scrambling for 50 cents in change, or devising a code involving a predetermined number of rings were effectively over.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

Telstra CEO Andy Penn speaks with Fran Kelly on RN Breakfast.
The company said around 11 million calls were made from its payphones last year, including 230,000 calls to critical services such as 000 and Lifeline.
Telstra CEO Andy Penn said the move to make every payphone free would cost the company around $5 million a year.
"Just watching over the last 18 months how they've played a role in emergency situations through the bushfires in keeping people connected and particularly those that are vulnerable and disadvantaged, I just thought we've got to a point where we can make this free," he said
"It's not not a big deal for Telstra."
"It just means people don't have to worry about having a pocketful of coins if they need to make a phone call in an emergency."
Mr Penn said Telstra had no plans to remove any of the payphones, and the number of phones the company maintained was determined by the federal government.
The phones have previously been made free to communities affected by natural disasters, or in remote indigenous communities.
Telstra has also offered free Christmas and New Year calls from its payphones for the past five years.
Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle said it was a "game changer" for people who couldn't afford a mobile phone, or have had to leave dangerous domestic situations.
"Many vulnerable Australians don't have access to a mobile phone so it's really important for them to break down that sense of social poverty, social isolation to connect with a friend, or to connect with a service," he said.
"During COVID we've seen the spotlight shone on isolation and the reality is there is a proportion of Australians that suffer from social isolation every day of their lives."
Posted 3 Aug 20213 Aug 2021, updated 3 Aug 20213 Aug 2021

article RE Telstra free call. Also my son works for Telstra and they used employ cleaners for the phone boxes but found that the work was not being done in some areas as well as some being graffiteed constantly, Telstra workers now carry sanitiser, wipes, gloves, as well a spray that takes graffite straight off, they report and damage and do any repairs to the boxes but some people just damage them for fun not thinking about other people, if there is any damage or the boxes are dirty then report it so a worker can clean it as soon as possible.