Are Working Payphones In Maine Still A Thing?

Anyone under the age of 30 reading this, is like...huh?

While casually browsing TikTok the other day, I came across a video of a man who appeared to be traveling through Maine over the 4th of July weekend, nothing unusual there, but I noticed an old school relic in the clip that caught my eye, a good old fashioned payphone!

This got me to thinking, was that just a rare occurrence, or are their still working payphones out there?

As of last summer, it was estimated that Maine had fewer than 50 payphones left, which is a pretty big dropff from the 5,400 you could find in the state, back in 2001.

These remaining payphones are part of the Public Interest Payphone program, which places payphones in buildings like schools, police stations, and town halls.

You can also find one here or there at various Walmarts, Hannaford Supermarkets, Irving gas stations, and rest areas on Interstate 95.

Payphones were once so common, that Maroon 5 had a hit song called "Payphone" back in 2012, but it wasn't that long ago that you could find them everywhere.

Gas stations, shopping centers, street corners, and hotels, were the common spots. Of course, those were the days when everyone didn't have a cell phone in their hands 24/7. Hard to beleive in 2024, but it used to be much harder to get a hold of someone, in the days before non-stop texting.

But now, payphones have gone the way of the CD and DVD player, and are obsolete, but considered a fun look back at days gone by.

In fact, 2018, the FCC stopped requiring audits of payphones because they have become so rare, so now just bringing the subject up, makes me feel very old.

But hey, a guy passing thorugh Maine spotted one, so you never know, you might too someday! If you do, you can take a picture of it, post it and start all kinds of interesting conversation.