New York hangs up on phone booths
It wasn't that long ago that phone booths dotted most corners of New York City, but this week the metropolis took down the city's last public phone. Now you'll need to visit a museum to see one.
Last call
It's the end of an era: Utility workers posed for a couple of last photos — taken, of course, with a cell phone — before removing Manhattan's last remaining public phones from Times Square.
A seven-year project
As cell phones grew in popularity, the city began the process of removing the blocks of public phones in 2015.
Reach out and touch someone... and their germs
Though they were often dirty and generally not offering the most comfortable conditions to make a call, in 2014 there were some 6,000 public phones in New York City.
Dig deep for small change
The cost of a public payphone call was long held to 10 US cents. That increased to a quarter - 25 US cents - for a three-minute call in 1984 and later to 50 US cents in 2002, though that bought a call of unlimited length.
Handful of phones still available
Despite the City of New York's massive press effort in removing the bank of phones from Times Square, it also admitted there are still a few operational phones, including some kept on private property, four "walk-in" booths Upper West Side residents fought to keep and a few in subway stations as well.
Making way for public Wi-Fi
Where there used to be coin-operated, public pay phones the city has installed free public Wi-Fi, charging ports, 911 buttons and screens with maps and other services, which also generate revenue for the city. The last two-phone payphone booth will be moved to the Museum of the City of New York's display about the pre-digital era.