| Name | Early Mexican Payphones |
| Date | 1960-1980 |
| Manufacturer | Made locally with GTE and Western Electric components |
Development of the Early Mexican Payphones
Similar to France and Spain, public telephone booths first began to appear in Mexico during the early 1960s. The payphones were designed and assembled locally, although many incorporated components supplied by American manufacturers such as GTE and Western Electric under licence or through imported parts. Most early installations were operated by Teléfonos de México (Telmex) and featured robust steel coin telephones mounted within distinctive open-sided fibreglass and acrylic shelters. The colourful shelters, with their bold “TELEFONO” signage, quickly became a familiar feature of Mexican streets, bus terminals and public squares. Designed for the country’s warm climate, they provided shade and some protection from rain while remaining open for ventilation and easy public access. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s these booths became an important part of Mexico’s rapidly expanding telecommunications network before later being replaced by more modern coin and card-operated payphones.
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