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The Rise of PayphoneGo A game called PayphoneGo has been created to encourage people to explore and interact with payphones across Australia. The game, developed by 19-year-old Kris Norris, assigns players a nine-digit ID, which they enter after calling the website's number from a payphone, allowing them to accrue points and leave voicemails. The Details of PayphoneGo Players can earn points by visiting payphones, with the first person to call from a payphone receiving 20 points and the ability to leave a voicemail. The game has attracted a cult following online, with over 1,000 users registered to play Payphone Tag, a 'real-world territory capture game'. The Impact of Free Calls on Payphone Usage Since mid-2021, calls on Telstra payphones have been free, leading to a significant increase in usage. Telstra's payphone product owner, Pete Manwaring, reports that more than 100m calls have been made since fees were scrapped, with usage tripling. In Sydney alone, 4m calls were made from 1,918 payphones in the past year. The Continued Importance of Payphones Despite the rise of smartphones, payphones remain an essential service in Australia. About 37% of calls are to emergency services, helplines, and government support numbers, while another 33% go to utilities. Associate Prof Mark Gregory from RMIT's school of engineering argues that payphones should be reinstalled in 'black spots' and all payphones should offer free wifi. The Future of Payphones As payphones continue to decline, games like PayphoneGo are helping to preserve their relevance. With 14,000 payphones remaining across Australia, it's clear that they still hold a special place in the country's culture and infrastructure.