Installation: TThe concept of drilling a hole through a house wall large enough to take coins may sound off-putting, but in fact this can be done without causing damage in a few minutes using a standard large drill. A trained installer with the right equipment would be able to make a neat job in a couple of hours.
At present British Telecom is obliged to supply public phones, but expect to lose several thousand pounds per box over a six year period in vandalism and other costs. BT could thus afford to offer cheap or free installation of such proposed phones.
Obstruction: MMost shops have a forecourt, part of the pavement where they may put ice-cream signs and the like. The phones would be over this area and would require no change in the law. Less obstruction would be caused than with existing call boxes.
Construction: envisage a very compact design based on some wall phones now sold - the receiver, push buttons, coin slot and display could all be vertically arranged under an arched rain cover some six inches overall. This would allow use in situations where the shopfront is mainly openings with only narrow pillars.
Nicholas Saunders, top floor, 14 Neal's Yard, London WC2H 9DP (tel 071 836 9404; fax 071 379 0135).