The end of the payphone in New Zealand is near

[LoganEnglish]

According to Spark (The NZ telco) the payphone is on its way out here. Has anyone attempted to obtain phones from telcos closing booths in the past? Would there be much hope trying to reach out and get one? 

On another note. Has anyone abroad seen projects like this in their respective nations? Not really sure what to expect when they talk of 'Phonebooths of the future'

[NorthernElectric]

Now you've got me thinking; have I seen a payphone around here (Ontario, Canada) lately?  I will have to try and remember where there used to be some and check and see if any are still there.

And something else dawned on me.  There was a payphone at one end of the parking lot where I worked for 17 years until retiring about a year ago.  I used to park around back but switched to the lot with the payphone to enter by the front door for about the last year I worked there due to covid-19 protocols.  I don't remember seeing the payphone there. I think I've only driven by my old workplace twice in the last year since retiring but next time I do, I'll have to look for it.  If it is gone, it was removed and I either didn't notice or have forgotten.

[MMikeJBenN27]

There are precious few pay phones around here in California.  There are a few, but only that; a few.  That's messed up for me, as I don't have a cell phone.

Mike

[FABphones]

...Has anyone abroad seen projects like this in their respective nations? Not really sure what to expect when they talk of 'Phonebooths of the future'

The link content is not available in my location, could you explain the article/project being discussed.

This is the thread re two out of service UK kiosks I was watching:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=24391

And this one of two (both now removed) in France:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=24459

Many have the payphone removed and are repurposed, the one below is a Book Exchange:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=25322

[LoganEnglish]

...The link content is not available in my location, could you explain the article/project being discussed.

How odd? Regardless here is an extract

"At the same time, the technologies that make these phone booths work - copper wiring and the public switched telephone network (PSTN) - are both end-of-life and in the process of being retired gradually across the country," Tierney said.

"Some of the physical equipment is not even being manufactured anymore, and we're running low on spare parts to use when there are faults, which leaves some booths non-operational.

That leaves the company investigating how it can maintain a more "appropriate number" of modern phone booths, while removing those no longer fit for purpose.

According to Spark, the current fixed-line phone booths cannot be upgraded to fibre or wireless, which means future-proofing the phone booth service will require replacing the booths with a new end-to-end solution.

"We're currently exploring what a modern phone booth might look like in New Zealand," Tierney continued.

"We've seen some pretty exciting examples overseas with features focused on delivering communities civic value alongside modern telecommunications services, and could include everything from wayfinding to in-built environmental sensors to localised news and content.

The company anticipates the vast majority of Kiwis won't notice any change, given the low levels of usage, but said they were cognisant that a small number of people may find the change unsettling.

"Which is why we've been liaising with key community groups around New Zealand to identify and work through any concerns," Tierney said.

Or to put it simply, out with the KX1000 and in with... god knows what?

[countryman]

How odd? 

Unfortunately, more and more media are using country specific restrictions due to copyright or maybe other legal issues 

[NorthernElectric]

The link content is not available in my location, could you explain the article/project being discussed.

How odd?

FWIW, I was able to view the Spark article.  I am connected via StarLink.  Iplocation sites indicate that SpaceX is routing my connection through Toronto.

[LoganEnglish]

In an interesting turn of events, I may be able to acquire a spark payphone before they all vanish. Took three calls to various numbers but things are promising. It won't be in working order as they remove the computer board but it will still be nice to have as a collection item of this vanishing era. I will keep you in the loop.

I've attached images of the one I pass every morning. Note that it's the British KX model