Many businesses provide pay phones customers and employees in public areas. When a company buys pay phone and pay phone equipment, it is sometimes the company's responsibility to take care of installation and maintenance for the pay telephone service.

There are many services available that perform installation and maintenance on pay phones for businesses, if the pay phone provider does not offer these services. Companies can a pay phone business for complete service, or hire a pay phone installer and maintenance service as needed. To get the best service, choose pay phone companies that offer:

1. Installation that is free or included in the price of the pay telephone.

2. A warranty with a maintenance agreement.

3. Equipment monitoring from a remote location or periodic performance testing.

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Choose a pay phone directory company that offers installation

To get your pay phone working properly, a company must look for a pay phone business that either offers installation with the phone, or provides installation services from a trained professional. Most pay phones distributors offer some type of installation services with the purchase.

I recommend: New World Pay Phones offers free installation and equipment performance monitoring. EPS Custom Telephone Booths offers installation and maintenance instructions for installing a pay phone in a phone booth.

Go with pay phone companies that offer performance monitoring

Once a pay phone is installed, it must be periodically tested to ensure it works properly. Specifically, it must continue to accept money and connect users to the right numbers. Some pay phone companies offer performance monitoring with a warranty or maintenance agreement.

I recommend: Pay Phone Connection Online offers pay phone management services for a variety of pay phone models and brands. QuorTech Solutions offers consistent pay phone monitoring. The company will alert you to problems, send technicians to fix the phone, and program the phone to your company's specifications.

Find pay phones maintenance services and information

If your business provides public pay phones, there is always a chance the phone may get damaged or stop working for one reason or another. To fix these problems quickly, hire a maintenance service to fix the pay phone. Some pay phone companies offer their own technicians for maintenance work, but you can also find independent pay phone maintenance services.

I recommend: Midwest Pay Phone Supply offers information and guidance on choosing the right pay phone service to get maintenance and repair services under your warranty. Volt Telecom Group offers many pay phone services for businesses, including installation, maintenance, collection and removal.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy a pay phone that matches the needs of your customers. Businesses with larger public areas should consider prepaid calling card phones instead of coin phones for convenience.

With the popularity of cell phones, there is less of a market for pay phones. However, you can still find pay phones outside of 7-Elevens, some grocery stores, gas stations or other businesses. Although pay phones are not as common anymore, they can still benefit your business. Customers can use them in an emergency instead of relying on your business phone. They can also use pay phones to avoid monthly fees or service plans that come with cell phones.

If your business requires a pay phone service, there are directories to find the right fit. Here's a few things to consider before you buy pay phone for your business:

1. Where will pay phones be located in your business? Do you need a desktop or wall mount?

2. Who will service the pay telephone? Can someone within your business service the phone or do you need a contract to service it with a pay telephone service man?

3. What kind of warranty coverage do you need?

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Find pay phone business distributors

Evaluate the type of business pay phone you need. Decide if you need a desktop, wall mount, weatherproof, Superman booth or refurbished model before you buy pay phone. Once you know the type of phone you need, you can start shopping for the best supplier and price.

I recommend: Pay Phone 2000 has pay phones for your business, plus parts and accessories. Payphone.com has a variety of pay phone products. TWAcomm.com has a variety of options for your business.

Locate services or supplies for repairing pay telephones

Do you have a broken pay phone? Are you searching for parts for pay telephones? Compare prices and services amongst several pay telephone service companies.

I recommend: Pay Telephone offers repair services for pay phones. PHONECO has a variety of pay phone parts. CPMC offers your business a pay phone maximization service in addition to basic service.

Browse through pay phone directory sites

If you need to look for pay phone numbers, consider a pay phone directory. You can find the location and address of any business pay phone.

I recommend: PayPhone Directory has a list of pay phone models, plus a directory of phone numbers for anywhere in the United States and Canada. Public People Finder can help you locate a pay phone location and address with a trace.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some pay phone suppliers now offer a combination of a pay phone with an ATM that may offer a good solution for your business.
• •  Be sure to ask the company you buy a pay phone from about their response time. How quickly will they send someone out to repair it? Remember, time lost with a broken phone means lost revenue for your business. Plus, you do not want frustrated customers who depend on your pay phones.

Whether you want practical pay telephones that accept many types of credit cards or antique pay phones that still work, you can find pay phone types and styles for any purpose online. It's easy to search and buy pay phones from a number of different suppliers and services while still finding the unique type of pay telephone you want.

Pay phones differ in aesthetic style, from vintage styles to modern designs, as well as function, from counter-top to vandal-proof outdoor phones. You also can purchase phones that are designed to take a specific payment type, including coins, phone cards or credit cards. Payment type is typically the factor customers are most concerned about in terms of pay telephones types and styles.

When searching pay telephones types and styles, consider the following categories:

1. Look for vandal-proof styles for outdoor pay phones;
2. Get the option to pay by credit card for a more convenient pay phone business;
3. Find vintage phones for a distinctive aesthetic style.
   

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Get pay phones for outdoor use that are vandal resistant

Most pay phones used outdoors in the United States are a standard type of heavy-duty steel that is considered vandal resistant. This means that the phones are functional, difficult to damage or dismantle, and easy to clean. Consider vandal-proof options for any outdoor pay phone location.

I recommend: Payphoneoutlet.com and AllenTelProducts.com both sell standard American vandal-resistant pay telephones. These types of pay phone feature an armored cord and heavy-duty steel phone body, and are the typical outdoor pay phone seen in phone booths throughout the US.

Consider up-to-date credit card operated pay telephones

A good way to start a lucrative pay phone business that is convenient to the general public is with credit card operated phones. These pay phones accept phone cards, debit cards and credit cards so that phones can be used without the need for cash. Card-operated phones also tend to have a more modern appearance and be more colorful than standard outdoor phones.

I recommend: Midwest Telephone Supply sells a counter top card-operated pay phone for indoor use. The World Communication Center sells several varieties of card-operated pay phones for outdoor use, and even has a solar powered option if your phone booth is in a sunny spot.

Browse antique styles from an online pay phone directory

It is relatively easy to buy pay phone styles online that are more antique or vintage, like 3 slot coin-operated phones or rotary phones. Antique styles of pay phone are available from a number of antique retailers and collectors' sites, and depending on the specific phone and its restoration, they may or may not still function as a payment-accepting phones. Either way, you will achieve a distinctive style with retro phones.

I recommend: Search a pay phone directory like The Collectors Weekly or 3 Slot PayPhones for current listings of antique pay phones. GoAntiques.com periodically offers antique and rotary pay phone styles for sale online.

Whether you are a Payphone Service Provider or other telecommunications business, the pay telephone industry uses a wide range of acronyms and specialized vocabulary to describe everyday operations. The pay telephone industry also includes a number of parties, including communication networks and private companies, that need to be able to understand what services and new technologies are being offered and how they can streamline pay telephone business operations. An explanation of key terms is essential to get started in the industry from any angle.

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Alternate Operator Services

Alternate Operator Services are private companies that provide telecommunications service for pay phones as an alternative to the local communications network line. Alternate Operator Services may be used to provide particular services not available from a local provider, such as language translation and other operator services.

I recommend: Payphone.com provides a concise definition of Alternate Operator Services in its pay phone glossary.

Card reader

A card reader can be used on a pay telephone either to accept major credit cards or to utilize smart card technology for the use of prepaid phone cards. Many pay telephones are beginning to employ card readers in addition to or instead of coin operation, and card readers are usually combined with other forms of telephony technology to create 'smart' pay telephones.

I recommend: Read a definition of the card reader option from the American Public Communications Council.

Public Access Line, PAL

A Public Access Line, or PAL, is the term used to describe the type of telecommunications connection used by most standard pay phones. A PAL is typically served by a local telecommunications company and connected by hard wired access points in telephone booths.

I recommend: Verizon, one telecommunications provider, offers a definition and explanation of Public Access Line services and what they entail.

Dial-around

Dial-around services are offered by telecommunications companies not affiliated with a particular pay telephone, so that customers may use a specific call service by dialing the company's dial-around number. Dial-around compensation is used by dial-around service providers to reimburse the pay telephone operator for the cost of the call, typically at a rate of around 24 cents per call.

I recommend: Read more about dial-around services from ABTolls.

Payphone Service Provider, PSP

A Payphone Service Provider, or PSP, is the operator of a given pay telephone or series of telephone booths. Payphone Service Providers can be large telecommunications companies that install and maintain their own pay telephone booths, or private companies that subscribe to a local or alternate telecommunications service.

I recommend: The State of Delaware provides one definition of a Payphone Service Provider for legal purposes.

Station Message Detail Recording, SMDR

Station Message Detail Recording, or SMDR, is a feature employed by many 'smart' telephones that enables pay phone operators to obtain a report of all phone calls made, with identifying information for callers. SMDR can be built into a 'smart' telephone, or added to any pay telephone by installing a message detail recording device.

I recommend: Carroll Communications provides more information on Station Message Detail Recording and how recording devices are used.