| Name | CP1- Phonecard 1 Payphone |
| Date | early 1980s |
| Manufacturer | Landis & Gyr |
| Usage | high-traffic locations like hospitals, conference centers, and large businesses |
| Further notes |
| CP1- Phonecard 1 Payphone (Made by Landis & Gyr) Landis & Gyr (formerly Aeronautical & General) The Phonecard 1 Payphone (CP1), also known as Phonecard No. 1C, was introduced by British Telecom in the early 1980s as the first generation of card-operated public payphones. Manufactured by Landis & Gyr, the CP1 utilized optical Phonecards, which stored prepaid units read by a laser mechanism within the payphone. This cashless system aimed to reduce vandalism and theft associated with coin-operated machines. The CP1 featured a digital display indicating the remaining units on the inserted Phonecard, and it supported local, national, international, and operator-assisted calls. Its design focused on security and ease of use, providing a reliable alternative to coin-operated payphones. As technology advanced, the CP1 was eventually phased out in favor of more versatile models like the Sovereign Multi-Pay Payphone (SM1), which accepted multiple payment methods including coins, chip-based cards, and credit/debit cards. The transition to chip-based cards and the decline in public payphone usage led to the discontinuation of the CP1. |
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