Thousands of UK’s phone boxes to be protected from closure

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s telecoms regulator says thousands of iconic red phone boxes will be protected from removal under new rules. The public payphone boxes may appear obsolete relics to many in an age of ubiquitous smart mobile phones, but the telecoms regulator, Ofcom, said they can still be a “lifeline” for people in need. The regulator is proposing rules to prevent 5,000 phone boxes in areas with poor mobile coverage from being closed down. It said phone boxes in areas considered an accident or suicide hotspot would also meet the criteria. Ofcom said some 20,000 calls to emergency services and other helplines were made from phone boxes in the year to May 2020.