Maine Public Interest Payphone program

A small Maine town has petitioned the Maine Public Utilities Commission for approval to remove a "public interest phone" that was installed at the local volunteer fire department under a state program supporting telecommunications in rural and remote areas. According to the petition filed by the Town of Reed Plantation, a town of less than 200 people located in Maine's northernmost county (Aroostook), reasons for removing the phone include its infrequent use in "this day of cell phones", confusion over the phone's location, and a request by the fire department to replace it with a vending machine as the "closest store is 40 miles away."

The Maine State Legislature enacted a law in 2005 creating a Public Interest Payphone program to provide telephones in areas where traditional public telephones would not otherwise be deployed and in which a telephone will further public health, safety and welfare. For context, 2005 was the year Apple released its first iPhone, and also the year when the number of homes with broadband internet service first exceeded those with dial-up modems.

As cell phone service was increasing its penetration into rural Maine, landline companies removed many payphones from rural areas, noting that the cost of maintaining the phones exceeded their revenues. In response to concerns that this trend could isolate some people, the PIP program was created to use money from Maine’s Universal Service Fund (ultimately paid by ratepayers) to fund applications for the installation of coinless phones that allow free local calls as well as the ability to place 911, prepaid calling card, collect, or credit card long distance calls. A list maintained by the Commission shows about 35 PIP locations in Maine.

By rule, the Commission may, at its own discretion or upon petition of an interested person, order the removal of a PIP, such as the Town of Reed Plantation has requested. As technology and culture have continued to shift since 2005, will other Maine communities follow the Town of Reed Plantation's lead in asking for the removal of currently installed public interest phones?