BT raises pay phone charge to 40p

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Making a call from a BT pay phone will cost a minimum of 40p from November, the telecoms giant has announced.

Only 23,000 of BT's 63,500 pay phones are profitable and the higher fee will go towards maintaining the phones.

Currently users pay 30p for a 15 minute call to a landline. Customers will get 20 minutes for their 40p.

The wide take-up of mobile phones has seen pay phone usage slip by 47% since 2000, but they are still well-used in rural areas.

"We have a social obligation to provide telephones, even though they are loss-making", a BT spokesman said.

"We have pledged to provide pay phones particularly in remote and rural communities where many people rely on them."