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FREE Calls from Telstra Branded Payphones 24-28 Dec to Help Australians Connect This Christmas

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I am an employee, and we just received this message.

Free calls to help Australians connect this Christmas.

Christmas is all about connecting with friends and family.

While most of us are lucky enough to do this in person or have access to technology that helps bring us together, we know there are others who may find themselves separated from loved ones without a way to get in touch.From Christmas Eve until 28 December, we’re opening our payphone network to offer free local, national and mobile calls for everyone from capital cities to remote areas such as the Gibson Desert and Thursday Island.

With people reaching out to friends and family over Christmas, we see a spike in payphone calls each December.
So, by opening up our payphone network, we hope all Australians will be able to reach out to loved ones this holiday season.


What you need to know

Restricted to local calls, national calls to standard fixed lines and calls to standard Australian mobiles on Telstra-branded payphones. National calls to standard fixed line numbers excludes some usage such as calls to premium numbers (eg 19xx numbers), 1234 and 12456 numbers. Satellite numbers are not standard mobiles. EXCLUDES TELSTRA RENTED PAYPHONES.

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closed Comments

  • +15

    Payphones? Whats that?

    • +2

      Ask the people at the local Housing Commission http://imgur.com/a/EKtr1

    • What's a fixed line?

      • +2

        The best way to get internet.

        • +3

          I prefer naked.

        • +6

          @neil aus:

          what you do in the privacy of your own home is entirely up to you.

  • +16

    Finally, I have always wanted to use one!

    • +35

      Make sure you disinfect it first!

      • +17

        You can't disinfect Telstra.

    • +2

      This makes me feel so old…

  • Has Telstra got plans on getting rid of the payphones anytime soon?

    • +12

      they been using it as base for their telstra air service. so i guess thats a no on the getting rid of payphones.

      • -2

        Air ends March 27th 2017 so probably not a compelling reason.

        https://www.telstra.com.au/latest-offers/telstra-air-free-wi…

        • +3

          It doesn't "end", just the free offer ends. Everyone who's a Telstra customer and has an Air-compatible router at home will still be able to log in and use it. Though I wouldn't be at all surprised if Telstra also extended the free offer.

        • @DeedubMelbourne:

          Ah my bad. I got confused remembering it was not available for business customers at all.

    • +5

      They are a legally protected service under USO

      • +6

        Yea I have noticed in SA, poorer the area, more the payphones. Clearly used as a human rights thing.

    • +8

      Hope not. They come in handy. When my wife gave birth I left the hospital at 2am. Got back to my car to find it wouldn't start. Got my mobile phone out only to find it was flat. I walked to a pay phone and called a taxi. Would've been screwed without that pay phone.. Well.. Not completely screwed. I could have slept in the car or walked the km back to the hospital (no free parking around the hospital) and asked to use their phone. But after being awake for 36hrs I just wanted to get home and go to bed.

      • +34

        When my wife gave birth

        no free parking around the hospital

        I love this. You're such an ozbargainer that you were too tight to pay for parking during the birth of your child.

        • +15

          Not too tight (no such thing here)
          But the problem with babies is you don't know how long you're going to be (most street parking around city hospital has 2hr limits) and you may not be able to park privately (Hello Women's, Child's & St Vincents hospitals in Melbourne) and since you don';t know how long you're going to be (36hr = 1.5 days) so who knows how much you'll be charged?

          Of course the council parking inspectors love hospitals because they know it's a fee feeding frenzy. Even if you move your car every 2hrs, you've moved it "within the zone" so you get fined.

        • +2

          I rode my motorbike… Free parking at front door

        • +1

          @backpaqer: "Hold that baby in while I drive back home and ride my motorbike over yeah? Free parking!"

        • @supabrudda: Yes haha, the other issue is he used a payphone and a taxi!!

        • @lainey13: The benefits of being induced ;) I worked that day, knocked off at usual time, rang wife all normal - sitting around waiting for doc and reading magazines…so I got on bike and rode over, no rush. Free parking, wander up to ward, open door, wife is there wide-eyed "my waters just broke!" - talk about smooth timing! And I must mention the free parking yet again! Winnar!

    • The advertising space on the back of them still provides a sizable amount of income.

      Especially in Perth and Adelaide where there is limited advertising space within the CBD areas

    • I've heard experts say that Telstra will be using these spots to serve 5G in the future.

  • +2

    i have one down the road.

      • +38

        By the way, my mobile has unlimited local calls. Thanks Telstra for the thought.

        somehow I doubt you are the target audience for this freebie. more like those who dont have a mobile. yes they do exist. or those that have limited or no credit to make calls who wish to call their relatives.

    • You also have Amaysim credit.

  • +1

    Thanks for the info Neilu. Just moved in here recently, don't think I've seen a Telstra payphone, any way of discovering where the ones that are left are situated? Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

      • +3

        Thanks for that, there is one a block or two away from the community garden which I'll be watering first thing Christmas morning, so can make a few calls then! Merry Christmas everyone!

        • +3

          Why would you be watering the pay phone?

        • +1

          Never thought of that, though it is supposed to be hot on Christmas Day, pity the hose won't reach the few blocks to the payphone!

        • Your most Festivas.
          Bring out the pole…….

  • +20

    Oh great …. I can call Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre (Murray Road, North West Point. Christmas Island, WA 6798. Phone: 08 9164 2233) and ask to speak to Mr Wall…. are there any Walls there?

  • +7

    There is one outside my local post office. You occasionally see people use it. Mainly for drug deals though, I imagine.

    • More drug deals during Christmas?

      • +11

        It's the only way to deal with family.

  • +4

    This sure gonna be ozbargined! Grab a phone or hoggers will.

  • +17

    I will call random numbers in every state and wish them happy holidays.

    Just a stranger calling and making people happy 😊

    • +6

      thats the christmas spirit. just dont start with heavy breathing…. or asking them what they are wearing.

      • +4

        or call them a Ho Ho Ho

  • +2

    All the drug dealers are going to have a ball!

    • Can you hookah brutha up bro? 😂

    • +1

      an eight-ball

  • How about 13 numbers?

    • my guess is thats a premium number also. so no.

  • +33

    I am pretty sure this is targeted at the homeless and those in real hardship, a good idea by Telstra.

    • I wonder who would a homeless person calls in Christmas ?

      • +8

        Lifeline?

      • +11

        Their relatives who live in another state. A kid calling their parents after living away from home and ending up homeless perhaps? Just some examples.

      • +2

        Santa?

  • +28

    I am surprised/disappointed to see not a single comment on the benefit of this deal to the less fortunate. Sure it may not be the right forum (as if you can read this over the internet, you probably won't need to use a call phone), but hey, you don't get a mobile connection free from the government, It's either your hard earn money (or that of your hard working parents). We should be glad for someone who hesitates to make STD calls as their previous financial resources have to be used elsewhere.

    • -7

      Sexually transmitted disease calls?

      • +1

        just like herpes… sharing is caring????

        • +1

          And don't forget kids, glitter is the herpes of the craft world.

      • Sexually transmitted disease calls?

        "Babe, have you been with anyone since me? You should get a check up."

    • -3

      I think the members are just waiting for a humourless do gooder to come along and hold forth.

    • I agree and including free calls to mobiles makes this a true show of goodwill.

  • +1

    Good for anyone who has isn't on a mobile plan. (Prepaid)

  • i haven't seen a public phone since 1992

    • +51

      Is that the year you went blind?

      • +20

        2016 - Also now a surviving burn victim

        • +3

          Maybe he didn't survive… or yet to be released from intensive care.

        • +1

          Gold!

  • -5

    Aren't the only people who use these things drug dealers?

    • +10

      No, you're forgetting the drug users.

  • How about 1800 - reverse?

  • -1

    Great for migrants.

    I see a lot of them using calling cards at the payphone. I guess this will help them save 40c or so.

    • You seem to be living in a cheap area where the migrants live… You do that to save a few dollars on rent?

    • +1

      Should be good for tourists as well.

    • +1

      This is only good for gypsies or immigrants!

      You sound like a Polish person.

  • +1

    I'm at a payphone, trying to call home…… Because Telstra is offering free calls and i'm bored….

    • +6

      Starts in 5 days. So have fun trying to get your free call.

    • You are a little early for Christmas!

      • +1

        Not with that attitude. Everyday is Christmas for me :)

    • Is it a song?

  • +1

    Those public access points can still make phone calls? (Serious question)

    Anyway good on you Telstra

  • I suppose they figure most people have mobile phones these days, so there wouldn't too many people using these pay phones.

  • wish 19x call were included

    • looking for love this Xmas?

    • Would be funny if they stuffed up the programming of the offer and they were included.

  • Something something glass case of emotion.

  • +14

    I read this and felt really good about Telstra for the first time I can remember. Then I started reading the comments and now I am depressed about humanity. Thanks to the the few but the tide is truly awful.

  • -5

    If you need free calls to connect with someone, then you have serious underlying issues

    • +6

      Bah humbug! Lots of people on prepaid mobiles or homeless or on low incomes where this might be useful for calling interstate.

  • +2

    Now I just need a loved one to call…

  • +2

    Nice. I can connect to an interstate BB at 1200 for hours legally.

  • +1

    Call local parliamentarian and give them an earful for Xmas

  • +4

    A nice thought by Telstra, I wonder if the people that really need it are going to be aware that it's available though. Perhaps those ozbargainers who live in or travel through areas with many homeless people could print out some flyers to hand out to any people they spot on their daily travels which may be interested.

    Maybe Telstra could create something for people to print out?

    • +7

      Or people could tape a printed note to any and every payphone they see rather than have to hand out flyers. Just the thought.

    • Are you OK?

  • Teenagers are going to have a blast with this. 4 days of ringing anyone and everyone asking if their refrigerator is running.

  • Only 400 clicks, common guys it's a freebie, no one gonna take advantage of this deal? You save a phone call with this when u don't use your mobile!

    • Free dial up internet from the booth! Woot
      Homies be phreaking!

      Brrrrrrr,eeeeee,bizzzzzuuuu,krrrrrrrrrrrr

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