Q COSTA RICA — Not long ago, payphones were a common sight on the streets of Costa Rica, a vital link for millions who didn’t have access to personal telephones.
Before cellular phones, these public communication stands and sometimes booths offered a simple but essential service—connecting people, whether to arrange a meeting, check in with family, or make an emergency call.
But over the years, Costa Rica’s payphones have undergone a dramatic transformation, mirroring shifts in technology, society, and communication habits.
In the early days, payphones were a symbol of progress. Installed predominantly in the 1980s and 1990s by the state telecommunications company, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), payphones sprouted up across urban centers, rural towns, and even remote villages.
For many Costa Ricans, the payphone was their primary telephone access point. The coin-operated machines were sturdy, simple to use, and reliable. They were often strategically placed near bus stops, markets, plazas, parks, clinics, hospitals, prisons, and government buildings to maximize accessibility.
As mobile phone technology advanced and prices dropped, the payphone’s role began to shrink.
By the late 2000s, the rise of affordable cell phones started to make public phones less relevant. People preferred the convenience of carrying their own device rather than hunting for a payphone. The expansion of cellular networks across Costa Rica, even into rural areas, further accelerated this decline.
The 2010s marked a turning point. The ICE began decommissioning many payphone units, citing maintenance costs and dwindling use. In their place, mobile phones and internet-based communication became the norm.
Payphones that once buzzed with activity fell silent, some left as relics on street corners, others removed altogether.
Yet, payphones in Costa Rica have not disappeared entirely. In 40 years of developing the
public telephone program, ICE installed more than 21,000devices throughout the
country, constituting the most robust public telephone network in Latin America.
Before ICE, the history of telephony in Costa Rica began in 1877, when the first telephones were brought from England.
The public telephone network has decreased considerably, with just over 2,400 devices still operational. The vast majority are concentrated in prisons, although you can still find some units in strategic locations, serving as a backup in emergencies or in areas with poor mobile coverage. Some have even been repurposed for community use, transformed into Wi-Fi hotspots or mini-libraries, blending the old with the new.
The story of Costa Rica’s payphones is a snapshot of a broader global trend—the rapid evolution of communication technology reshaping everyday life. From indispensable public utilities to nostalgic artifacts, payphones tell a story of how a country adapted to the digital age while still preserving links to its past.
As Costa Rica continues to embrace the future, the humble payphone remains a quiet reminder of a time when a coin dropped into a slot could connect you to the world.
Payphone fact: In emergencies or during times when mobile networks falter, payphones remain a fallback option, especially in areas where infrastructure challenges persist. If you are ever in an emergency, you can dial 9-1-1 free of charge from any public phone.
For more on the evolution of payphones in Costa Rica, visit the Grupo ICE Museo page here.