12 years
I used to run a 42-bed hostel with three guest computers with Skype installed, and we still had people who wanted to buy calling cards and use the payphones down the street. We talked about installing a payphone, but it never happened because the only feasible spot for it was right in the middle of our common room.
Many travelers use Skype for their calls because it’s free. For that they need a computer and an internet connection though, which are not necessarily free in all hostels. It used to be very common for hostels to sell international calling cards, but I’m not sure how many still sell them these days with everyone carrying laptops and smartphones. Surely there is still a demand? Some of the larger hostels probably sell them, and they may be interested in payphones as well – especially if they can get a cut from the cards AND the calls themselves. Small hostels probably won’t be as interested, because the expectation is frequently that internet/wi-fi will be free and that a smaller number of guests means less wait time for a computer to become available.
Some hostels also have a Skype (or other VOIP) contract with a physical phone instead of using a local provider. They can offer their guests free calls to landline phones in most countries. That is a great deal for the guests, but it can be annoying for the hostel when they need to use their phone and someone is in the middle of an argument with their boyfriend on the other side of the planet that isn’t going to end anytime soon.
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