forrette@cory.berkeley.edu (Steve Forrette) (08/13/90)
I saw the strangest "payphone" in Pacifica, CA today. I guess it could be considered a COCOT, although it looks like it's been there since long before such things were legal in California. It certainly isn't registered with Pacific Bell. It's just some cheesy thing the merchant has installed... It is styled much like an old-fashioned 2500 set, but is beige and push- button (I didn't place a call, so don't know if it's DTMF or what). However, it is taller, as it has a coin box built into the bottom. It has a slot in the top designed to take quarters, and a sign "LOCAL CALLS ONLY - 25 cents for 3 minutes." The instructions were "Deposit 25 cents, dial the number. When the party answers, press the 'push to talk' button. At the end of 3 minutes, you will hear a beep - deposit another 25 cents for three more minutes." I'll bet it's hooked up to a POTS line. Since it was at the cashier's desk at a restaurant, I wouldn't be surprised if it's on the "main" number for the business. There was a "coin return" chute, apparently for calls where you hung up before pressing the "push to talk" button. The label on the back said that the beast was called a "Europhone Coin Telephone". The manufacturer is American Communication Technology, at (213) 217-1818. The set was padlocked to the counter. It was at the "Park Pacifica Cafe" - 650 Cape Breton Drive, Pacifica, CA. (*really* obscure place - at a horse stable accessible through a residential area. Great food, great prices, though!) I was with some friends, so I didn't have time to play with it. It would be interesting to see just how it works, how it enforces the "local calls only" restriction, as I believe Pacifica still doesn't require a "1" for long distance intra-LATA calls. From the looks of it, I doubt very much that it could have any intellegence inside of it. [Moderator's Note: The tone pad is special, and is programmed to restrict more than seven digits, or numbers beginning with 1. It partly depends on the honor system, which is why this model usually sits near the watchful eye of the cashier or owner of the establishment. We have one here next to the cashier in a liquor store on Howard Street. PAT]