Pay phones --- with advent of mobile phones, do u still find the need for them?

Hi Yresh12, Although many are using their mobile phones, we know that there are a few who don't have these gadgets nor a land line at home. Some of them may be able to borrow from friends or relatives and still some others go to the pay phone centers. I still see many people lining up on pay phone booths in the telephone company. We can say that there is still a need for these pay phones. As you say, they are most needed in communicating with friends and relatives who are outside the country or outside the city.

Thanks.

I agree with you. We still need it nowadays...

Hi Dorannmwin, I also see only very few pay phones here. There are quite a number in the offices of the telephone company in their booths. There was one I saw in the grocery section of a department store. With their dwindling number, I think the telephone companies still make money out of it because I see that they still exist up to this time despite the advent of cellphones.

Hi Violeta_Va, Although most of the people have their own cellphones, there are others who don't have by choice or by some other reasons. They still find the need for pay phones. Pay phones are important in cases of emergency. But, I wonder if there are still coin pay phones around. I really hope it still exists because if an emergency occurred, how can one call without a pay phone that accepts coins? I don't know if phone cards are easily accessible in small stores as it is with cell phone loads.

Hi Bellis, They have already been phased out in some areas. I have read that AT&t was considering of doing that in December 2009 (or was it 2007, I'm not sure) in certain places. It must have become costly to maintain them because they no longer bring in profits. We still have phone booths in the offices of the telephone company here and a few in big department stores and malls. I see people who still use these pay phones.

Hi Biomechanoid, So, surely you don't find the need for these pay phones. Because even with its disappearance, you didn't even notice it, lol. Something which we don't miss is something we don't need, isn't it? Well, they may have phased them out because the company thinks that it was not profitable for them to maintain them. With the advent of cellphones, they have become obsolete.

Hi Bingchen, That is true. Even with most people having mobile phones, they still need the pay phones some time in their life. This is especially during emergencies, as you said, when the cellphones run out of battery and you really need to get in touch with someone. I also have experienced myself in that situation. Lucky enough that I was close to the office of the telephone company and I was able to make an urgent call. That may also hold true with our landlines at home. We still need them for other reasons.

Hi WiseReptiles, A lot of people still patronize pay phones. I see them when I pass by the telephone company's offices. I haven't used one in years, too. I don't know if there are still coin pay phones in their offices. When I went there one time to pay my bill for our landline, phone cards were sold --- these may have replaced the coins now. I hope I am right. People use them in emergency especially when a cellphone runs out of battery. So, there is a reason that they need to stay.

Hi Atv818, I still see a few of them. A number are in the offices of the telephone company. It is still useful for some people. It has been quite a time that cellphones are here but the pay phones still managed to exist. It should mean there are people who still need them and the company thinks they should stay.