No call for phone boxes anymore
Digital kiosks & charging stations lined up by eir
THE last remaining payphone boxes in Ireland are to be removed — almost 100 years after they first appeared on the streets.
Over 100 are still in use around the country, but they will stop operating by the end of the year, marking the end of an era.
At their peak, over 3,000 phone boxes were located around the country.
Telecommunications company eir says more than 200 phone boxes will be converted to electric vehicle charging stations or kiosks.
At least 25 will be donated to community organisations for various uses, including tourism kiosks and defibrillator sites.
And one original, 100-yearold kiosk has been restored for public exhibition later this year.
Una Stafford, managing director of Open eir, said: ”The removal of the last payphone boxes by the end of this year is a symbolic step towards a more connected, digital future.
“While we close this chapter in Ireland’s telecommunication history, we open another, focusing on innovative solutions that align with the needs of our communities and the environment.
“The phase-out decision was based on extensive analysis of usage patterns, with data showing a consistent decrease in demand. eir remains dedicated to ensuring accessible communication for everyone, continually investing in digital infrastructure upgrades”.
Since their introduction, phone boxes have been a familiar sight on the streets of Ireland, serving the public before the advent of mobile phones, and at a time when landline phones were an exception rather than the rule in Irish homes.
The Universal Service Obligation (USO) for the Provision of Public Payphones was removed in 2020 due to steady decline in usage.
At their peak, approximately 3,300 payphone boxes dotted the Irish landscape, complemented by over 5,000 indoor units.
Since the removal of the USO, eir said it has implemented programmes to repurpose this legacy infrastructure and retain the space for community service where possible.
Six of the iconic concrete Posts & Telegraphs kiosks now house life-saving defibrillators.
Two towns have creatively adapted newer aluminium kiosks into tourist pods,
offering leaflets and information about local places of interest, and one has been transformed into a religious shrine.
In a push towards sustainable energy solutions, eir in partnership with Easygo are installing 142 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. To date, 76 rapid electric vehicle chargers have been installed, with an additional 66 on the way.
Furthermore, 60 payphones have already been transformed into digital kiosks which are designed to play a role that is more suitable to city life today, not only as a point of connectivity, but as an information system for the local authorities services including mapping systems for visitors and locals.
Of the 105 remaining kiosks, 11 will become digital pedestals, while the other 94 are set to be removed by the end of the year.
Oliver Loomes, CEO of eir, said: “The public payphone was an important part of our lives for generations and it is fitting that to mark this, we have carefully refurbished one of the original phone boxes and we plan to donate it to a cultural institution where it can be preserved as an integral part of our national heritage.
“We’ve taken deliberate steps, in collaboration with communities and local authorities, to thoughtfully transition this legacy infrastructure.
“Our goal has been over the past four years to find the best ways to repurpose or preserve these kiosks, directly involving the communities they serve.
“We are pleased that more than 200 sites will now keep people connected via new digital pedestals or electric car charging points