The stockings are hung, the lights are twinkling, and the countdown to Christmas is on with Santa and his elves once again ready to take your calls. From 20 November until Christmas Eve, kids of all ages can call Santa for free from any of Telstra’s 14,000+ payphones by dialling #HO HO HO (#46 46 46).
This year, we’ve made it even more special for Australia’s littlest callers to connect with Santa by introducing the first-ever kid-sized Telstra payphone – made just for Aussie kids.
Specially designed for our small callers who might find regular handsets hard to reach, these mini payphones will be set up in select Telstra Stores in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane until Christmas Eve, giving kids their very own special way to reach the North Pole.
Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa has become an increasingly popular festive tradition for Australian families. Last year alone, over half a million calls were made to Santa from payphones across Australia, spreading joy to families nationwide.
The festive season can be hectic, and for families looking to avoid the crowds, our payphones – big or small – offer a simple, cost-free way for kids to chat one-on-one with Santa. With just one dial, they can ask Santa anything, from what the reindeer are snacking on to how chilly it is at the North Pole.
Teaching kids a lifesaving skill
Calling Santa isn’t just festive fun - it’s also a great way for kids to learn how to find and use a payphone in case of an emergency, especially if they’ve never used a non-mobile phone before. Here are some handy tips:
Use Free Calls to Santa to teach kids what a payphone is and how they work
With all standard national calls and texts free from Telstra payphones year-round, encourage kids to memorise at least one important phone number, which can be a lifeline for those unexpected moments.
Fun fact: Every payphone has a unique number you can dial from your mobile. It’s a great way to show kids what an old-fashioned phone sounds like
To call Santa from any of our over 14,000 regular sized payphones between 20 November and Christmas Eve, you can find your closest payphone using our payphone finder on Telstra.com or Google Maps. Santa’s elves have also helped us bring some Christmas cheer to a special selection of payphones. Use our festive payphone Google Map below to see where your closest one is.
For little callers wanting a special chat with Santa on one of our special kid-sized payphones, these will be exclusively available at Telstra’s Discovery Store in Sydney starting November 20, Melbourne from November 21, and Brisbane’s Queen Street store from November 22 until Christmas Eve. We’ll also have a kid-sized payphone traveling around the country, stopping in regional towns to spread the Christmas magic – stay tuned for updates.
Once you’re at a payphone, simply dial #HO HO HO (#46 46 46) and get ready to ask your questions and share your wish list with Santa!
How Telstra payphones serve the community year-round
Back in August 2021, we made all standard national and mobile calls from our payphones free. It was our way of stepping-up our support, especially for those in need. Since that change, payphone usage has more than tripled. In the past year alone, over 25 million free calls were made, including more than 300,000 to Triple Zero and other emergency services. Now, over 4,000 Telstra payphones also provide free Wi-Fi access, and we're working to bring this to even more locations soon.
