BT Phone Box

[woodbine]

Why didn't you just make a trunk call?

 

[woodbine]

Last time I used one it took 4d.

And they don't have the 'A' and 'B' buttons any more, Nige.

 

[securespark]

Went swimming today.

Without my lad.

It's still not a euphemism...

The phone box has been ripped out. Can't see there being many left now. In urban areas, anyway.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Went swimming today.

Without my lad.

It's still not a euphemism...

The phone box has been ripped out. Can't see there being many left now. In urban areas, anyway.

AI tells us:

As of 2023–2024, there are approximately 20,000 working, usable payphone kiosks left in the UK.

Here are the key details regarding the remaining phone boxes:

• Total Working Kiosks: Around 20,000, which is a significant drop from their peak of 100,000 in the 1990s.
• Traditional Red Kiosks: Out of the 20,000, only about 3,000 to 7,000 are the traditional red (K6 or K2) kiosks. The rest are modern glass and steel units.
• Usage: Despite the rise of mobile phones, around 5 million calls are still made from these, with many serving as critical lifelines in rural areas with poor coverage.
• Adoptions: Over 7,200 phone boxes have been adopted by communities for £1, with many converted into libraries, defibrillator units, or art galleries.

Many, but not all, remaining phone boxes are protected from removal by Ofcom, particularly if they are in areas with poor mobile signal or are used frequently.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A grubby poster inside the kiosk extolling the virtues of using a phone box - it is quieter in there than trying to use a mobile on the pavement where it is so noisy...

So, just step inside, and use your mobile.