Donation Pay Phone Project

The Donation Pay Phone Project aims to organize and help create by-donation pay phones. These phones are installed and maintained by volunteers, and utilize an internet connection to make Voice Over IP phone calls. They work like pre-paid phones. When someone makes a donation, that amount is added to the balance. When a toll call is placed, the cost of that call is subtracted from the balance. If the balance runs to zero, toll calls cannot be made until an additional donation is received.

Here is the list of active phones:

We started the project because, with the proliferation of cell phones, pay phones are increasingly expensive and hard to find.

If you'd like to create a phone in your neighborhood, we can help you set it up. All you need is an internet connection, a regular phone and an analog telephone adapter, the cheapest of which cost about $25. Contact us at phone AT sharett DOT org, or call 413-825-6795 x300.

Bike Path Phone (413) 570-0095 [map]
($0.70 remaining)


(If you make a donation via Paypal, it may take a day or two before the balance is updated)

The Bike Path Phone is a by-donation pay phone located at 927 Ryan Bikeway in Florence, Massachusetts, between Straw Avenue and Chestnut Street. Call 413-825-6795 to access the phone system remotely. Here are the menu options:

  • 00 = main menu
  • 20 = call 8 High St, Florence
  • 21 = call bike path phone (or call directly at 413-570-0095)
  • 51 = Northampton weather forecast
  • 52 = caller ID lookup and readback
  • 54 = Monkeys (say hello to them 1st)
  • 56 = hear the current time & date
  • 300-499 = voicemail boxes

However much money we receive in donations is how much is available in minutes for anyone to use. The cost for outgoing calls is 1.8 cents per minute. When you place a toll call from the phone, you'll hear the amount of money left.

Right now, $0.70 in donations remain (about 38 minutes). In the last two weeks, people have made 0 calls and used 0 minutes. The total amount donated since the phone was installed is $646.40.

If you have comments or something's not working right, stop in and see us at 8 High Street, Florence, Mass. You can also call extension 0300 or e-mail phone AT sharett DOT org.

[View call & billing history]