In the 1990s, France almost did Before 250,000 telephone booths disappeared from view With the discontinuation of universal payphone service in municipalities covered by 2G/3G in the mid-2010s. However, two cooperative companies, Telecoop and Common, intend to restore this iconic piece of equipment in a digital version.
On June 19, they are installing the first 4G-connected and free-access cabin in Strasbourg, and they are betting that their concept will be replicated across France. Behind the window of the purple wooden booth, the user is faced with a choice when it comes to making a phone call or being called back: they can use the legendary 1963 Socotel with a rotary dial or the speaker of a state-of-the-art tablet.