Ireland says farewell to iconic payphone boxes
Marking the end of an era and almost 100 years after they first appeared on the streets of Ireland, eir – the prominent telecommunications company - today announced that the removal of the last remaining payphone boxes across Ireland will take place over the coming months.
As a tribute to the end of the payphone era, eir has restored a 100-year-old 'K1' kiosk, the first type of payphone box introduced in Ireland, for public exhibition later this year. The kiosk is one of only seven known examples in Ireland or the UK and will be donated to preserve a part of Irish heritage.
Payphones have been a familiar sight on Irish streets since their introduction. However a decline in usage saw the removal of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) for the Provision of Public Payphones in 2020.
Six of the iconic concrete Posts & Telegraphs kiosks now house life-saving defibrillators. Adding to the community-centric approach, two towns have 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 partnership with EasyGo, eir ios taking a sustainable approach and are installing 142 electric vehicle charging stations. They are also transforming payphones into digital kiosks with the hope that they will be used in cities as both a point of connectivity and an information system for the local authority services including mapping systems for visitors and locals.
Of the 105 remaining kiosks, eleven will become digital pedestals, while the other 94 are set to be removed by the end of the year.
CEO of eir, Oliver Loomes said: “We are pleased that more than 200 sites will now keep people connected via new digital pedestals or electric car charging points. The programme complements our ongoing investment of €250 million a year building out a world class fibre broadband and 5G mobile network across Ireland.”
Una Stafford, Managing Director of open eir networks, commented: "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.”.