It’s an iconic symbol, one that reminds us of Superman, street corners and, if you’re a Bill and Ted fan, a time traveling machine. While phone booths may be going the way of their counterpart, the wired telephone, the structures are still revered as a classic of our time. And really, they’re kind of cool.
In Britain, where the red booths are an unmistakable symbol of London culture, one professor decided to give one of these booths a necessary makeover and added a few touches of the technological present. Professor Michael Shaughnessy of The Language Resource Center at the Washington & Jefferson College discovered a replica of the beloved phone booth and outfitted the structure with an iPad 2. Instead of picking up a receiver and dialing their person of choice, students can now use the iPad 2 to video chat with friends and family using Skype (News 
- Alert).
“I had a blast converting it. It serves a good function as our students use our international unlimited account a lot to call home, and now they have a bit more privacy. I was just lucky to find this local guy with a ‘Red Box’ booth, which is about 40-50 years old. … A perfect addition to our language lab, I think,” said Shaughnessy.
The concept and design is all Shaughnessy’s and his part list includes one British phone booth (or as they’re called in Britain, a phone box), one iPad 2, Wifi Full Metal Jacket iPad 2 case and Pan & Tilt Vesa Arm to accommodate users of different heights.
The increasing use of mobile phones has led to a decreased demand for pay telephones, but the increasing use of laptops led to different kinds of services.
In 2003, Verizon (News - Alert) announced that they would begin offering wireless computer connectivity in the vicinity of their phone booths in Manhattan. As of 2006, the Verizon WiFi (News - Alert) telephone booth service was discontinued in favor of the more expensive Verizon Wireless's EVDO system.
Wireless access is motivating telephone companies to place wireless stations at locations that have traditionally hosted telephone booths, but stations are also appearing in new kinds of locations such as libraries, cafés, and trains.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.
Michelle Amodio is a TMCnet contributor. She has helped promote companies and groups in all industries, from technology to banking to professional roller derby. She holds a bachelor's degree in Writing from Endicott College and currently works in marketing, journalism, and public relations as a freelancer.
Edited by Jennifer Russell
