Public Pay Telephones

There are a number of styles and varieties of public "coin" or "pay" telephones - designed for a variety of uses and situations. Listed here are vintage and modern public telephones used in the North American (US & Canada) public telephone network. These include normal telephone company made ones, as well as COCOT (Customer Owned Coin Operated Telephone) equipment. Also here is information on the former AT&T Automated Coin Toll Service (ACTS).

Telephone World's Pay Telephone Section Index

Vintage Pay Phones
Pictures and information on vintage pay phones once commonly used in the USA and Canada.

Modern Pay Phones
Pictures and information on modern pay phones still commonly used in the USA and Canada.

COCOT Pay Phones
Pictures and information on COCOT Pay Phones used in the USA and Canada.

Old AT&T ACTS System
Information on the former AT&T ACTS (Automated Coin Toll Service) system.

Miscellaneous Pay Phone Pictures
Pictures of various pay phones of interest.

Other Pay Telephone Related Websites (off-site)

The Mojave Phone Booth Site
A website dedicated to what used to be the most remotely located pay phone in the continental US - in the middle of the Mojave desert in California. The neat thing about this pay phone is that if you called it, more than likely someone would answer it! Unfortunately, the National Park Service didn't like all the attention it was getting and had it removed. The number of the pay phone was (760) 733-9969.

Pay Phone Directory
The original pay telephone directory, operated by El Jefe. News and information about pay telephones, including Customer Owned Pay Telephones (COCOTs). Also has many recordings from telephone switching equipment.

The Payphone Project
User-contributed listings of pay telephones throughout the US, Canada and parts of the rest of the world. Also includes some information, photographs, and funny stories related so some of these phones. An excellent site operated by Mark A. Thomas.

Telephone Tribute - Pay Phones & Phone Booths
A great telephone tribute website - this page devoted to the pay phone. Developed by David Massey, it is now maintained by Bob and Sheri Stritof.

Stromcarlson.com
A website that has pictures of pay phones in southern California and Nevada. Also with pictures of central office buildings in the Las Vegas area. Site also has phone recordings and listings of some interesting phone numbers.

Phonebooth.us
A website devoted to the history of pay telephones (mostly Western Electric) with photos of classic pay phones, technical information, and even old magazine advertisements encouraging the use of pay phones.