Pernec PayPoint to roll out 3,500 more payphone booths nationwide

PETALING JAYA: It's well into the 21st century and almost everyone, from young children to the grass cutter, carries a cellphone.

So, what is the use of payphones?

Many of us do not even notice them until our mobiles run out of battery or prepaid credit.

Checks in the city showed that most payphone booths were empty, while others looked vandalised.

However, private payphone operator Pernec PayPoint Sdn Bhd is not giving up, saying Malaysians should not write off payphones just yet.

The firm, which operates more than 45,000 public phones nationwide, said the future was still bright for payphones despite the growing base of mobile phone subscribers.

(In Malaysia, the mobile phone penetration reportedly stands at 130%).

Its CEO Tengku Asmaluddin Tengku Arshad said: “Students, foreign workers and villagers are the groups who most use payphones.”

He said that it was due to this reason that their payphone booths were placed mostly at schools, public transport stations and shopping malls.

It was reported that an average of 12 million calls were made from Pernec's phone booths each month, generating RM50mil in revenue for the company in 2010.

Tengku Asmaluddin said the phone booths were installed based on demand from its market research as well as requests from local councils, schools and the public.

He said the firm was in the midst of rolling out 3,500 more pay- phone booths nationwide, with additional features such as wireless Internet connectivity and reload points.

Recruitment executive Geraldine David, 27, said payphones were still needed, especially in areas without mobile network coverage.

“But it is so difficult to find public phones that are in working condition,” she said.