Calls from any of Telstraโs 15,000 public payphones are now free.
Both national and local calls to standard fixed line and mobile numbers within Australia will no longer incur a charge.
As custodians of the iconic Australian landmark since the 1880โs, the telco giant made the announcementย on Tuesday 3 August,ย citing the public payphones’ value in a society with limited coin usage.
โLast year alone, Australians made 11 million calls on payphones, including more than 230,000 calls to vital services like Triple Zero,โ a Telstra representative said.
โSo thereโs no doubt payphones are already often the lifeline thatโs there when itโs needed most.โ
Telstra says its payphones can be found on street corners, in tiny towns, truck stops and airports in every corner of the country.
Itโs an important moment, and Telstra issued a statement to explain why theyโve done it.
โJust before the arrival of mobiles there were more than double the number [of payphones] that we have today,โ the statement read.
โSince mobiles became nearly universal, a lot of Australians might not give them much thought, until thereโs a natural disaster, until youโre in vulnerable circumstances, homeless or fleeing domestic violence.
โThatโs why [Telstra] decided itโs time to make payphones free. Because even in the age of the smartphone they play such a critical role in our community, particularly in times of need, and particularly for those in need.โ
Telstraโs tagline is โAustraliaโs largest 5G networkโ.
Originally known as Telecom Australia, the business that employs more than 26,000 people changed its name in July 1995 to Telstra to distinguish itself from other telecommunications companies.
In a company statement, Telstra claimed its purpose is โto build a connected future so everyone can thrive. To deliver on this ambition we want to contribute to a better, more caring and more inclusive Australia, an Australia where people can reach out for help if and when they need to, or just connect if they feel like it.โ
- By Rebecca Riddle, Newstate Media
