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British telephone booths get a makeover for the 21st century! BT is turning thousands into his high-tech street hub with WiFi and free mobile phone chargers

5gantennas.orgBy No Comments5 Mins Read


Jim Norton Daily Mail Technology Editor

15:15 March 27, 2024, Updated 15:15 March 27, 2024

  • BT is turning phone booths into street hubs with free WiFi and mobile phone chargers
  • Free calls to UK landlines and mobiles, as well as free 999 calls at the touch of a button.



Thousands of old telephone boxes are about to be brought into the 21st century, BT has announced.

The telecoms giant is turning it into a street hub with Wi-Fi, mobile phone chargers and screens showing real-time updates from parliament.

You no longer need to dial a traditional number, the new version has just one button to call emergency services.

BT has announced a 10-year partnership with media company Global, which will see it serve 200 towns and cities from 2025.

All new features are free and funded by advertising revenue from the giant digital displays on either side.

BT announces thousands of old phone booths will be reborn in the 21st century (stock image)
The telecoms giant is turning it into a street hub with Wi-Fi, mobile phone chargers and screens showing real-time parliamentary updates.

Read more: Britain’s red telephone booths were inspired by 19th-century mausoleum architect Sir John Soane’s design for his wife

In contrast, old telephone boxes were reportedly costing between £300 and £600 a year due to their age.

At its peak there were a total of 92,000 people across the UK, but this has gradually declined with the advent of mobile phones.

BT has recently been working on making them more modern by turning them into free street hubs.

In addition to boosting cell phone signals anywhere within 500 feet, there will also be free USB charging points and touchscreen tablets displaying real-time public information.

We also offer free calls to UK landlines and mobiles, making 999 calls at the touch of a button.

Bas Berger, chief executive of BT Business, said: “BT payphones have long been an iconic feature on Britain’s streets and today’s announcement comes as the way we all communicate changes. “This marks another step towards the future.”

At first it was made of concrete, but the design gradually changed.
The phone booth was only turned red later on so people could see better.
No more dialing traditional numbers, the new version allows you to call emergency services with just one button.

Telephone booths first appeared on British streets in the late 19th century, but it wasn’t until 1921 that they became standard throughout the UK.

At first it was made of concrete, but its design gradually changed, only later becoming red to make it more visible to people.

Many fans of classic red telephone booths are keen to recycle them, and one in Cambridgeshire has been turned into a pub.

BT is also selling its most famous K6 telephone box (introduced in 1935 to celebrate King George V’s Silver Jubilee) for £1,750.

It can be a bit pricey to buy one for your own home, but the company is also offering the public the chance to buy one for just £1.

Several local communities have done so, turning them into libraries, coffee shops, and mini art galleries.

BT sells its most famous K6 telephone box – introduced in 1935 to celebrate King George V’s Silver Jubilee – for £1,750
It can be a little pricey to buy one for your own home, but the company is also offering the public the chance to buy one for just £1.

Telephone booths: a staple of British culture since 1921

The very first telephone booths were developed in the late 19th century by BT’s predecessor, the General Post Office (GPO).

There was a great variety of designs, and it wasn’t until 1921 that the new GPO in charge of the telephone system produced the first standardized kiosk, named Kiosk One (K1).

Photo: The first standardized kiosk named Kiosk One (K1)

Just 150 were ordered at £5 each and were usually painted cream with red doors.

Perhaps the most famous and widespread is the K6 telephone box, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and introduced in 1935 to commemorate George V’s Silver Jubilee.

Throughout the 1900s, telephone booths were a staple of life in towns and villages, helping millions of people across the country connect with their loved ones.

The peak was in 1992, when there were 92,000 BT-operated telephone boxes across the UK.

However, advances in technology such as the Internet, mobile phones, and IP technology have made the need for telephone booths much less than before.

In recent years, disused phone booths have been transformed into libraries, community information centers, mini art galleries, coffee shops, bakeries, micro nightclubs, and even defibrillators.

BT has also launched Street Hubs, a “modern day phone box”.

Street Hub gives hundreds of people access to superfast free Wi-Fi at up to 1Gbps, as well as free UK landline and mobile calls, 999 calls, phone charging stations, local maps, directions and more. Access real-time information. Latest information on the subway, train times, weather, etc.

Source: BT



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