Using
Public Telephones
Almost every afternoon, I take my break to
stroll Avenida Central to make new friends. My
goal is to make a new friend every day. I walk
up and down the boulevard a couple of times,
handing out my business card.
Then I wait for her to call!
The call never comes. Over and over the same
thing. I give out my card, which has my clearly
printed on it and no calls. So, I decided to
investigate the matter. The result? the public
telephones. Yes, those darn payphones!
In
Costa Rica we have three, yes, three types of
payphones in current use. The oldest and the
original is the coin operated plain silver box
that is practically indestructible on the
outside. These telephones operate on the silver
coin system, they will not accept the recently
issued gold colored coins. Silver box, silver
coins.
Then
came the blue colored payphones that work
on the 'chip' system. I have tried to use
them in the past and gave up in utter
frustration. Once you insert the card, it
takes forever to get a dial tone and you
might as well walk away when you are
finished for it will not disconnect the
call until it decides so.
Realizing the problems with this
telephone, the powers that be decided to
introduce, not replace it, with a new more
modern unit that I call the Colibri 197. I
named it as such because it has no slot
for a 'chip' card, nor for coins. It uses
the Colibri 197 calling card, which you
can buy at locations all over and can be
used on regular telephones.
I admit that I don't know how to use this
telephone. I've come in close contact with
it, have read the instructions for it's
use posted on each telephone, but I am
still mystified as to how to make a call. |
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Confused
yet? I thought so.
If you are planning to use a public payphone,
and yes you need to plan ahead, for if not you
will looking around for the right telephone to
use with your silver coins, chip or Colibri 197
card, unless of course you decided to carry all
three.
And that is providing you can find a telephone
that works.
In the downtown area there a zillion pay
telephones of all types all over the place and
grouped together at major open areas. Outside
the downtown area it becomes an adventure to
find a telephone, one that works and one that
will accept your method of payment.
To
be fair, it's not the telephone company's fault.
The demand for payphones has increased as people
without a telephone in their house, and who have
been waiting in some cases years, have no choice
but to use the public telephone to stay in
touch.
The nice things about these telephones is that
they will accept calls. A common practice is to
receive your call and be asked to call back.
Since the telephone company charges on calls
placed it still makes money either way.
So, now I understand why I wait for my calls
that never come. Using the public telephone
system is just too complicated and frustrating.
And when it rains, who wants to go out?
And I guess I am just not worth it all.
I
think in the future I will make new friends with
girls who have a telephone in their home. I know
this cuts down my odds for making new friends,
but then I won't be sitting by waiting for that
call.
Or will I?
I'll
keep you posted.
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