When was the last time you came across a payphone? Chances are, you haven’t seen or even thought about one in the past five years.
Technology has transformed our lives to the extent that nearly everyone now has access to a mobile phone.
As a result, payphones have become a relic of the past. They are a nostalgic reminder of how our parents and grandparents used to communicate, alongside their trusty pagers, of course.
It’s also becoming increasingly difficult to spot a payphone in Singapore these days.
Remember those childhood moments when you didn’t own a phone and had to search for a payphone in school or at the void deck just to call your parents or friends? Today’s kids won’t be able to relate.
However, it seems that payphones haven’t faded into obscurity entirely.
A Reddit user recently discovered a functional payphone at a void deck in an HDB estate in Singapore—and surprisingly, it offers calls for free.
Free Payphones Still Exist in Singapore
A Reddit user by the handle “drwackadoodles” shared a post featuring a payphone with the caption, “These 90s and 2000s payphones still exist in a few places, offering free phone calls.”
The post quickly went viral, garnering over 1,500 upvotes.
Many users joined in, sharing nostalgic experiences of using payphones as children—whether it was calling their parents during recess to bring forgotten homework or inserting 10- and 50-cent coins into the machine in primary school.
Some reminisced about how the payphones at their schools would sometimes “eat” their coins.
One Reddit user pointed out that payphones are still around in Singapore, just less common than they were two decades ago.
“They are installed mostly at public rental flats or in areas with more elderly or low-income residents. Quite a thoughtful service, but I didn’t know the calls were free,” another user commented.
Free Payphones Along Orchard Road
Another Reddit thread sparked discussions about the availability of payphones across Singapore.
A user found a payphone outside Ngee Ann City.
“Free local calls for up to 3 minutes. Tried, it works,” the user added.
Payphones in HDB Estates with 1- and 2-Room Flats
As part of the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) efforts to ensure access to telephony services for all, Singtel and StarHub are required to maintain at least one payphone near every Housing and Development Board (HDB) block with one- or two-room units.
Currently, both telcos operate around 150 payphones near such HDB blocks.
StarHub has stated that continuing to offer payphone services is important, as some elderly residents and lower-income households still rely on them.
Despite Singapore’s high mobile penetration rate, with over 9.8 million mobile subscriptions in a population of 5.6 million, these payphones remain a crucial resource for certain individuals within the community.
So, while payphones may seem like a relic of the past, they haven’t disappeared entirely.
The problem, of course, when you’re using them is: do you remember anyone’s phone number?
If you watch at least 10 minutes of brain rot content daily, you must know this:
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