Telephone boxes

[Kenn]

Having just read the article on the leader page and recently returned from a fantastic visit to Caithness I am concerned by the removal of public telephone boxes from the area.
Whilst many of us have mobile 'phones with the nature of the terrain both in Caithness and Sutherland we found on many occasions that we could not get a signal.Talking with various people around both counties they were naturally concerned in those areas where a network signal could not be recieved that their telephone box was to be removed.What to do in an emergency,especially in bad weather? Take the car and drive to a high point?
Think again BT you are supposed to provide a service, it is written into your charter.OK so you have share holders to satisfy with dividends I just hope that none of them live in The Highlands and find their mobile cannot recieve a signal when they break down far from anywhere on a dreek night!

[tides of pentland firth]

I urge everyone active in this forum to contact BT or the area planning officer over this issue. If you live near a phonebox and you know there is no mobile signal in that area you have to let BT know to save that kiosk. Many have been removed already eg. Dunnet Avenue, Wick. Phoneboxes like, for example, Breamore are very important especially when there is no mobile signal for miles around. The contact details for BT and the area plannying guy are on the caithness.org home page. You must contact BT before the 1st of October to save the last of the phoneboxes and remember to include hard facts.

[Mr P Cannop]

the phone boxs were tooken away and i did not know bt did that and did tell any of the public ??

[tides of pentland firth]

I've thought of a better idea: If anyone knows of a phonebox in an area of no mobile coverage or anyother reason why it must stay, send me a private message or email me and I will contact BT with this information. Thanks.

[htwood]

Phone boxes are a real necessity for travelers from other countries. We do get lost, or misplaced, or even bewildered from time to time. And phones for emergency services should be available to all, espec in the remoter areas.

[tides of pentland firth]

Wouldn't it make more sense to remove the ones in the town that are always getting their windows smashed and keep the ones in the country that are a vital public service?

[Mr P Cannop]

what happens if some one needs the Emergency Services in the town ??

[tides of pentland firth]

Their reason for removing these boxes is that everyone has a mobile now and these phoneboxes are redundant. Fair enough, there is mobile coverage in the town, but what about 70% of the boxes on BT's list?

[Mr P Cannop]

Their reason for removing these boxes is that everyone has a mobile now and these phoneboxes are redundant. Fair enough, there is mobile coverage in the town, but what about 70% of the boxes on BT's list?

not every one has a mobile

[tides of pentland firth]

I know, that is the problem (and some boxes are in no coverage areas).

[Bill Fernie]

Slight correction Regarding the reason for removal of telephone boxes. They are being removed because they are no longer making money to cover the costs - ie they are making losses. That is in part due to mobile phones. BT Payphones is a separate stand alone business according to BT and cannot be cross subsidised by other profitable parts of their business.
I do not agre with this reasoning as we all might have the need to use a payphone for all sorts of reasons and I would have thought that we could all as service users pay a tiny amount on our bills as to retain this nationwide service. The ultimate wsi that there will be few if any payphones in rural areas. Even if you live in an urban area it there will be times when you visit the countryside when a payphone is required.
Perhaps the government needs to make all phone companies contribute to keeping the payphones or do we just accept it as progress. It still seems liek another downgrading to me. Services come at a price and someone has to pay. If customers are not there - and they may not have been for a very long time even before privatisations.
We better keep our fingers crossed that all those satellites do not develop problems or commuications are going to be difficult.
The price of calls from Payphones is also going up fast and that might be spiral which will put off more customers and make even more folk get mobile phones.
Perhaps if anyone knows someone who does not have a phone you can amke them awre of the changes and ask if they would like any representation made. Folk without phones - few as they are are - also not on the Internet and all of this may be passing them by.
If there are any folk known to you in Caithness I would appreciate a PM to take alook to see if there is areason to ask that particular payphones be added to those to be kept for social reasons.
I intend to make representations about two at least but am happy to invesitgate others that might be of particlar use to any disadvantaged individuals or groups.

[Kenn]

Go for the jugular Bill.I cannot believe that this service can be withdrawn.We experienced so many problems with our mobile network when last up north and heard from others that they were experiencing the same thing.In a rural community the necessity to have a 'phone link with the rest of the county/world is an absolute necessity.
Remind BT that they have a charter and obligations that are writen down ..not in BLOOD..but that might just ne a necessity in the future :roll:

[tides of pentland firth]

Did anyone hear on the news today that there was a crash at the Strath of Kildonan? The only way they could phone for help was using the pay phone. I don't konw how serious the crash was. This would be typical for about 30% of the phones on the list. (http://www.caithness.org/telephones/disappearingkiosks.htm)

[Mr P Cannop]

Did anyone hear on the news today that there was a crash at the Strath of Kildonan? The only way they could phone for help was using the pay phone. I don't konw how serious the crash was. This would be typical for about 30% of the phones on the list. (http://www.caithness.org/telephones/disappearingkiosks.htm)

thats the start of it

[JAWS]

I might be wrong but somewhere in the back of my mind I seem to remember BT having been given a grant (or whatever name they called it) towards the upkeep of pay-phones in remote areas to provide a service for exactally the reasons which have already been mentioned.

Does anybody have any knowledge of this as I am sure they have tried the same thing in the past.