| Name | Tongya TYW-251 Coin Payphone |
| Date | C. 2002 |
| Manufacturer | manufactured by Tongya Telephone Co., Ltd. for the Directorate General of Telecommunications (DGT) |
Development of the Taiwan Tongya CIC-168
The Tongya TYW-251 Coin Payphone represented the final generation of conventional coin-operated public telephones installed across Taiwan before mobile phones rapidly displaced public telephone use. Manufactured by Tongya Telecommunication Industry Co., Ltd., examples are dated September 2006, although the design had been introduced several years earlier. Installed by Taiwan Fixed Network (TFN), the TYW-251 became a common sight in railway stations, MRT stations, airports, shopping centres and other public buildings during the 2000s.
Unlike earlier models such as the 113-STD, the TYW-251 featured a cleaner, more compact enclosure with a rounded silver die-cast housing and a bright red polycarbonate control panel. It accepted NT$1, NT$5 and NT$10 coins, using an electronic coin validator linked to a digital controller. A two-line LCD displayed call status and instructions, while a dedicated return button allowed unused coins to be refunded. Large, tactile push-buttons and multilingual instructions made the telephone straightforward for both local users and visitors.
The payphone provided local, long-distance and international calling, with one-touch access to operator services and Taiwan’s emergency numbers. The heavy stainless-steel coin vault, armoured handset cord and vandal-resistant construction reflected Tongya’s long experience producing durable public telephones.
The TYW-251 shared its basic platform with Tongya’s IC card and smart-card telephones, reducing maintenance costs through common components. Although payphone use declined sharply after the spread of mobile phones, many TYW-251 units remained in service throughout the 2010s, particularly in transport hubs where they continued to provide an important emergency communications service. Today, they represent one of the last purpose-built coin payphones manufactured in Taiwan before the end of the country’s public payphone era.
Below- the similar model CX-940-TONGWA
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