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Telstra Payphones and Air Hotspots Free for All from Monday 6th until Further Notice

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My best wishes to people affected by the fires and please stay safe.

As bushfires around the country continue to take their toll, we know staying in touch with loved ones is vital. That’s why, from tomorrow (Monday 6 January) until further notice, we’re making our payphone network around the country available to provide free local, national and standard mobile calls. We will also be allowing free use of the Telstra Air Wi-Fi network at locations where payphones are equipped to provide this.
As part of our existing disaster assistance packages for Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, we are already providing free calling on our payphones and free use of our Telstra Air network.

However, given the scale of the emergency we’ve made the decision to extend this across the county allowing all Australians to keep in touch with family and friends.

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  • +8

    I haven't seen one of those in years!

    • +25

      I see them all the time. Where in the country are you?

      • +5

        Probably where ad revenue is low so Telstra doesn't put any payphones there.

        • How do I call a payphone, y'know, like in American action movies?

          • +8

            @capslock janitor: I did it the other day, first you use the payphone to call your mobile to find out what the phone number is, and then you can call it back, and the payphone actually rings.

            pretty quiet rings so you probably can't frighten many people on the street but it rings.

          • @capslock janitor: Hardly anyone answers them, it just rings out.

            • @JIMB0: Why would anyone want to answer a pay phone if they weren’t expecting the call?

    • cant remember what the last free Telstra Air download record was?

    • Heaps in the rural towns due to coverage issues there.

    • I've seen some in Outback SA recently

      How to use this free WiFi?

      Is it for non-Telstra phones
      or only Telstra-conn'd ones?

      PS This used to be Free for
      Telstra customers

      Now, it may work for Boost-ies, too!

  • +6

    Wow, I remember when these would cost 50 cents a call.

    • How much is it for a call now?

    • +3

      10 minutes for 50c

    • I remember when it 6p - 6 pennies lined up and roll down into the slot.

  • +17

    now everyone can get "too many users, try again later" with telstra air!

    • ;~)

      dunno about Outback AU…?

      Gotta work out who to use it
      before I can let you know IF
      it happens to me…

    • +3

      It says for payphones only

    • +2

      We will also be allowing free use of the Telstra Air Wi-Fi network at locations where payphones are equipped to provide this.

      Edit: deme beat me to it!

  • Do you need an app to use the hot spots? Is there a map of payhonea

    • +1

      Not sure about the app part but here are the locations of the payphones as mentioned in a previous post

      • How can I tell if the payphone supports wifi or not

        • +1

          Where it says "All PayPhones" on the left after you search for an address/area, click that and at the bottom of the drop-down click "WiFi HotSpots"

    • Check the telstra air app. It lists all the hotspots

  • +41

    I don't really care if it's only A PR/marketing gesture, it's a generous offer given the scale of the disaster. At least it seems sincere and comes unprompted, unlike a certain Scotty from marketing.

    • Not like our scotty. Time for a cuppa.

    • Please beam up Scotty to … anywhere but here

    • What are you referring to?

  • Awesome, just need to remember how to use a payphone :D

    • +2

      Step 1: Pick up handset.
      Step 2: Look at handset.
      Step 3: Try not to throw up.
      Step 4: Return handset to cradle.

      • Spray it with disinfectant?

        • Only if it was an emergency. If not, I'm happy to not communicate with anyone for as long as it takes.

      • +1

        Step 0: Wear surgical gloves and full (minimum half) face protective mask.

  • +3

    So how do you logon to Telstra Air if you don't have a Telstra account?

  • Walked past a Telstra payphone earlier tonight, already had a message on the screen about free calls.

  • Do you need the app or anything to use the wifi?

    • Last time I used one you had to have a Telstra account then you could login to any wifi hotspot using your username and password

      this was during the testing phase years ago, or you can go to telstra wifi webpage and buy a pass for a few days use
      So if you are a telstra wifi/bb customer you can use any hotspot,inc Telstra phone boxes when I had a valid (90) day pass I could use the neighbours modem as a hotspot but not his data Telstra piggybacked upon the original carrier wave or something, the home user hotspot access was on by default I think

  • +1

    I've added this to the Disaster Relief wiki page.

  • +1

    WOW! I am impressed.

    Thank you Telstra!
    (I thought I would never feel like this)

  • At this rate we are going, maybe there will be few developers/builders throwing in free houses.

    • Or an insurance company actually paying up

      • Or actually prosecuting people who intentionally lit the fires…..
        Off with their heads!

  • +1

    Well, I couldn't resist the temptation and seeking a thrilling adventure …

    I USE A TELSTRA PAYPHONE !!!! … for free :-]

    As expected, I does work and very well it does.

    Things to consider for the uninitiated:

    1. Not Telstra's fault but the handset is filthy, greasy and grimy. Wash face and hands after using it.

    2. Yes, it does show the caller ID so "theoretically" I could ring back to the payphone. Next adventure ;-)

    3. The payphone in use has the option to send SMS or text. And I did. Caller ID for the SMS will be TLSPAYPHONE (not a number) and takes quite a bit to actually send the text after pressing the OK button (yes! buttons are also filthy … all of them!)

    4. Multi-language multi-lines LCD display is dim but it works and is very readable. Probably they are from circa 1990. Amazing.

    And this will be all.
    Bye for now.

  • i just went out and try, only free calls, no free telstra AIR , have to login as usual

    • There should be a separate wifi network called "Telstra Fee Wifi."

  • Can't see this wifi anymore, is this expired?

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