For years, Telstra public phones have always been beacons of connection – and since making all standard national and mobile calls free back in August 2021, public phone usage has more than tripled.
They’ve become vital lifelines to call for help in emergencies or crisis situations, stay connected through natural disasters, or simply reach out when a mobile phone isn’t available for use.
While they’ve come in many shapes and sizes and continue to evolve, there’s one iconic silhouette that stands out. And we’re using this unique shape to shine a light on some of the ways in which these public phones support communities across Australia.
RESCUE PHONE
We’ve heard countless stories of how public phones have been critical for communities in disaster prone areas. Communities like the coastal town of Narooma where one of the public phones became a hub of activity and connectivity during the 2019-20 South Coast fires. When many were without power or signal, almost 1,000 calls were made in just two months.
HOPE PHONE
Public phones have become an invaluable resource for some of our most vulnerable communities – such as those experiencing homelessness.
About 339,000 calls were made to crisis and support lines from our phones, last year helping those most in need.
Wherever we go, there’s always more to do
As community needs shift, so have our public phones. Since August 2021 all local and national calls to standard Australian fixed line numbers and mobiles have been free and today, over 4000 public phones also offer free Wi-Fi, with plans to expand this service to even more locations.
While they’ve come a long way, there’s always more to do to support the communities we serve. We’re in the process of completing upgrades to 1,000 of our public phones to improve disaster resilience, adding backup power to help keep people connected when it matters most.
