Distributor Nimans, the exclusive UK supplier of Solitaire products, is urging resellers to plan ahead for the introduction of the new Royal Mint design early next year.
New Solitaire Payphones will accept the new £1 coin but existing models will need updating, says Solitaire’s Managing Director Jeff Wilkes.
“We estimate that from around 500,000 Solitaire payphones sold in the UK around 50,000 are still in service,” he explained. “The Royal Mint has provided a provisional timetable for the new Bi Metallic 12 sided version of the £1 coin with a current target date of early 2017. The existing version will be withdrawn over a relatively short period of time. “
Depending on the payphone model, on-site, remote download and back to manufacturer updates are available.
With the explosion in mobile phone technology resellers could be forgiven for thinking the days of traditional payphones are numbered, but they will always have a place in locations such as hospitals, prisons and holiday homes.
“Often resellers can overlook the sales opportunities that still exist for traditional payphones across a range of locations,” said Phil Collins, Head of Purchasing at Nimans. “It may surprise them to realise that in an age of mobile communication demand for payphones is still there due to increased requirements to control unauthorised call access.”
Nimans stocks the Solitaire 2000 plug-and-play device, ideal for domestic/ shared /rented accommodation/holiday cottage locations where arguments can arise over the telephone bill, the best-selling 6000 model with ‘taxi‘ buttons, auditable cash records and coin refund whilst a 6000 High Security model benefits from a robust steel casing and armoured handset cord. WiFi and IP versions are also available – whilst all current models are compatible with broadband lines.
Phil concluded: “There will always be a need for payphones in environments that may lack mobile phone signals, batteries running down, credit used up and also sites where mobiles are just not appropriate. Furthermore, in these cost conscious times, payphones are very effective in helping organisations control charges, as they can restrict access to only allow certain programmed numbers or calls to head or branch offices for example.”