Aha, payphones!

Now, we have all heard of the entertaining things that it was possible to do with a $2 coin, a straw & a Telstra payphone. Unfortunately, Telstra heard of this as well, & (un) promptly spent several million fixing their little problem.

And now there's another one.

This seems to work only if you use one coin that is worth more than a local call (E.g. 50c). If you use, say, a 20c coin the call only lasts for approximately 20 seconds, and that is not the aim of the exercise.

Well what is it then?

Basically it goes like this: Get a straw from any servo or café.

Begin as you would if you were making a call & actually paying for it, i.e., handset up, money in, start to dial.

Stop dialing, do not finish dialing, do not let the phone connect.

Hold the flap covering the coin-return-bay CLOSED.

Utilising your trusty straw (in my case conveniently located inside an old coke can beside the fone), slide the straw into the phone above and in the middle of the flap you are holding closed.

When the straw bottoms out (going upwards) violently smack the straw from side-to-side a few times.

Clink, goes your refunded coin.

$$ credit stays in fone.

& you're off like old fish.