| Name | Easiphone It is a stand alone ‘buttonless’ A/B box. |
| Date | 1963-1980 |
| Manufacturer | Elliott Automation, UK. Assembled Regents Park Elliot factory. Mechanism based on the British A.B. Button Box Multicoin by Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (ATM) |
| Usage | Supervised rental |
| Resources (pdf file) | EA Easiphone Manual PMG 1969 Technician Manual for Easiphone / Redphone |
Above- comparison of A/B box and Easiphone mechanisms. Almost identical. (with thanks to Ian Jolly)
Development of the Easiphone in Australia
| Easiphone (Introduced 1963) It is a ‘buttonless’ A/B box. The functions of the buttons are performed by 3000 type relay mechanisms. Available for use only on local calls, the caller inserted the coins to maker the call. If the caller answered, a reversal from the exchange on the line (a normal function on any line on an old public Strowger exchange) operated the relay coil to deposit the money into the coin tray. However if the called number didn’t answer/was busy, the caller replaced the receiver and another relay coil operated to return the money. Again made by GEC Elliot Automation Ltd in the UK who maintained them through their subsidiary in Australia. The Australian PMGs department only did ‘first line maintenance’ i.e, cleared coin slots etc and any other fault they were returned for repair to Elliot Automation Pty in Oz for repair. Background In the post–World War II era, demand for public telephony in Australia far exceeded supply. The Postmaster-General’s Department was unable to keep pace, prompting a decision to allow private firms to supply and lease public telephones. One of the first results of this policy was the Easiphone, introduced in 1963 by Elliott Automation. Designed for indoor and supervised settings, the Easiphone was particularly suited to shopfronts and small businesses. When mounted on a dedicated stand, the unit could be wheeled indoors overnight, deterring theft. It was supplied in yellow and green but could also be ordered in a variety of colours. Assembled Regents Park Elliot factory. Mechanism based on the British A.B. Button Box Multicoin by Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (ATM) Though not especially vandal-proof, the Easiphone proved popular in city locations, where supervision was common. It remained in use until 1974, when Telecom Australia acquired Elliott Automation and began gradually retiring the model from service (in favour of the Redphone). It was possible to still see them in service until about 1982. |
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