Payphone Facts for Kids

A payphone in the United States.

A payphone is a special kind of telephone that anyone can use. You pay for your call right before you make it. Most payphones used to take coins. But some newer ones could also take credit cards, debit cards, or special phone cards.

Payphones were super popular in the 1900s, especially in big cities. They were everywhere! But then, mobile phones came along. As more and more people got cell phones, payphones started to disappear. First, they became rare in smaller towns, and then even in cities.

Telephone box

Images for kids

Telus payphone in Golden, British Columbia
Bell Canada payphone
Payphone booth in Kyoto, Japan, with figures etched into the glass
A typical BT payphone in Scotland
1C Payphone - Bell System, Made by Western Electric
Payphone model U+I from 1964 to 1982
Payphone model G+M from 1982 to 1987
Payphone model Rotor from 1987 to 2002
Payphone model Digito since 2002
Payphones in China with built-in web browser
Old-time dime payphone (United States)
IC Payphone in Japan. This type of payphone was removed from town due to IC Card discontinued and continued to use magnetic Telephone Cards.
MC-3P Style magnetic Telephone Card accepted Payphone in Japan.
1C Payphone - Bell System, Made by Western Electric, Manufactured in July 1979. Used in U.S.A.
Bicycle payphone in Uganda
GTE Automatic Electric 120-type single-slot coin phone in Santa Monica, California, United States
Hong Kong payphone
AT&T payphone (United States)
Toronto payphones covered with graffiti and notices. Telephone books are contained in weatherproof holders hanging from the bottom of each phone.
Payphone in Ashgabat
A payphone in India.
This Finnish payphone has a sticker saying "ei toimi" ("does not work") on it
Payphone in Victoria Australia 2021
Türk Telekom payphone in Turkey.

Payphone facts for kids

Related pages

Images for kids

See also