When was the last time you used a pay phone? For me it was probably the mid-90s. I remember using on at T.F. Green airport way back when, but you really don’t see them around anymore.
For the last several years they’ve been removing them from locations all over Manhattan and replacing them with public Wi-Fi hotspots. Yesterday, officials marked what they’re calling "the end of the pay phone era" with a ceremony after the last public pay phone was removed from a location at 7th Ave. and 50th St. close to Times Square. Crews had to use a crane to hoist the housing that actually contained two coin operated phones within.
Since 2015 the city has done away with thousands of the obsolete phones and now you’ll find wireless kiosks all over the place.
Although that was the last public pay phone in the city, there are some privately owned ones that still exist, and some of those "Superman" style phone booths around as well. Maybe we need one of those installed over by the Superman building in downtown Providence. That would be great for selfies!!
Source: UPI
Photo: Getty Images