Nomadic Narrative

Traveling often points out things we have taken for granted. I remember when I was a kid my parents always asked if I had change before I left the house in case I needed to make a phone call. Spoiled by cell phones, I had forgotten about those days when I’d carry around a change purse for emergencies, until I moved to Costa Rica.

Whenever I walk around downtown San José, Costa Rica, I’m always amazed that there are not only people using the payphones, but often they are lining up in front of them. Some of the payphones are coin operated while others function with calling cards. Traveling around Costa Rica, I’ve gotten into the habit of carrying around change (Change is a hot commodity in Costa Rica. Read previous post here.) as well as a tarjeta telefónica, a calling card in English.

The government telecommunications monopoly known as the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, or ICE (pronounced ee-say) is just starting to open up to outside competition which will expand cell phone service. In the meantime, public payphones around the country will be put to good use. (The CIA World Factbook ranks Costa Rica in the 122nd position out of 222 countries given the total number of cell phone subscribers. Nicaragua is at 109 and Panama 95.)

Last July, La Nación newspaper reported that there are 22, 240 payphones throughout the country accounting for 5% of calls made in the country. Unfortunately, an astonishing 15% are vandalized monthly. (Read the La Nación Spanish article here.)

Public payphones have become one of the signatures of community life. While I embrace change as cell phones phase out the need for public phones, it would be nice to keep these public fixtures alive ― even if this means finding non-traditional ways of maintaining this traditional service.

Have you seen any interesting ways public payphones are being integrated into public life?