BT Phone Boxes

Orionaut said:
There is an over reliance on the assumption that everybody carries a mobile these days and it simply isn't true!
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But that will be personal choice, certainly not financial constraints. For the price of a few calls, you could easily afford a dumb phone and top it up with a few quid when you need to make a call. Of course the techophobes will equate carrying a mobile as being some sort of slave but it isn't if you don't give out the number. :/

Even beggars on the street make no attempt to hide them. And if you're a JSA claimant looking for work, try telling the DWP you don't have a phone so you can't be contacted. You'd be sanctioned straight away. :p
 
They probably cost more to run than they make.

Last time I went in a phone box to use the phone I think it was 10p per minute. Then I think the price shot up to around 60p per minute last time I saw one.

Meanwhile mobile phones were becoming popular so it was inevitable.

It looks like they tried to money grab if people used a card payment.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26086314 - this article is from 2014.
BT has reversed a 400% price hike for customers who use public phone boxes with credit or debit cards following concerns from Ofcom.

The company increased the minimum price for people using phone boxes with a bank card from £1.20 to £6.50.
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When I was in school we used to put black shoe polish on the ear piece and watch people exit phone boxes with black rings round their ears. I fear that school kids aren't able to get their kicks this way any more and this is the real reason for surges in knife crime, shame on you BT.
 
marc2003 said:
But that will be personal choice, certainly not financial constraints. For the price of a few calls, you could easily afford a dumb phone and top it up with a few quid when you need to make a call. Of course the techophobes will equate carrying a mobile as being some sort of slave but it isn't if you don't give out the number. :/

Even beggars on the street make no attempt to hide them. And if you're a JSA claimant looking for work, try telling the DWP you don't have a phone so you can't be contacted. You'd be sanctioned straight away. :p
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It isn't affordability, it is portability.

Pretty much everybody I know has a mobile phone. But most dont have it with them at all times.

I would be a bit sad if one found oneself next to a dying person right next to a de-fib box that you couldn't unlock because you had left your phone at home!

(Or even simply because the batteries had run down)

De-fib boxes should have an operator contact system built in. I cant believe that it would add much to the cost. especially given that this is indeed a potential matter of life and death.
 
Orionaut said:
I would be a bit sad if one found oneself next to a dying person right next to a de-fib box that you couldn't unlock because you had left your phone at home!
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"Bit sad" is bit of an understatement. :p

But since you're now talking about people who own phones but left them at home or have flat batteries, what are the chances of those people accompanying someone else (also not carrying a phone which would be unlockable for emergencies) collapsing within range of a de-fib thingy? The odds here are getting rather silly...
 
marc2003 said:
"Bit sad" is bit of an understatement. :p

But since you're now talking about people who own phones but left them at home or have flat batteries, what are the chances of those people accompanying someone else (also not carrying a phone which would be unlockable for emergencies) collapsing within range of a de-fib thingy? The odds here are getting rather silly...
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Thee odds of somebody having a heart attack in the vicinity of a de-fib machine are pretty low anyway. And yet it is considered worthwhile to have them publicly available.

Adding a small extra level of utility that really wouldn't cost much more (internal Hard wired mobile unit with a PTT call button with speaker and mike built into the case) would seem a perfectly reasonable thing to do to ensure avoidable tragedies dont happen.
 
There was an article in my local paper about phone box being removed - seemed it only took about £2.70 in one year - I can't see many companies standing that sort of loss so why should BT - think of the poor shareholders :)
 
I used one the other day. Was trying to make a phone call reception was **** (Three lol). Looked around randomly and I completely missed it first time around, then I took a second look and thought "hey that's just what I need, brilliant."

Quality piece of hardware though felt nice to use it. Built to last unlike modern cheap disposable phones.
 
My heart bleeds for BT for taking their eye off the ball,:rolleyes: do you not remember they made £90 a second in profit from phone boxes, far to interested in paying odd ball share holders and ignored upgrading the network.
 
Orionaut said:
Thee odds of somebody having a heart attack in the vicinity of a de-fib machine are pretty low anyway. And yet it is considered worthwhile to have them publicly available.
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They'd be nicked long before anyone could use em anyhow. Chavs will nick anything.
 
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