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<p>The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology does not hold any data on
the number of BT public telephone boxes in any given area. This is due to the fact
that the public telephone box network is privately owned.</p><p>Having consulted externally
with BT the Department can provide the following figures:</p><p>Public payphones in:</p><ul><li><p>Enfield
Borough: 70</p></li><li><p>London: 2718</p></li></ul><p>Any request for further data
should be directed to the provider.</p><p>There are clear principles that BT must
comply with under its Universal Service obligations, as set out in the telephony Universal
Service Order, established in 2003. BT must provide public call boxes to meet the
reasonable needs of users in terms of geographical coverage, the number of public
call boxes and the quality of call box services. The criteria for ‘reasonable needs’
include that the public call box in question is the only one within 800 metres; there
are at least 500 households within 1 kilometre, and at least 12 calls have been made
from the public call box within the previous 12 months.</p><p>At least 70% of public
call boxes must also offer cash payment facilities.</p><p>If BT wishes to remove a
public call box, it must also notify the relevant local authority in writing, allowing
90 days for a response.</p>
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