Customers of telecommunications giant Telstra will get unlimited calls on the country’s payphone network this Easter long weekend, as compensation for further mobile downtime in recent days.

Telstra CEO Andy Penn said he would have preferred to offer free mobile or data, but conceded the network probably wouldn’t be up to it. “This is the next best thing. We know our customers have been affected this week. We’ve heard the feedback, we’ve listened, and we’ve responded.

“So what we’re saying to our customers is this. Make as many payphone calls as you like this weekend, on us. No need for coins. No need for cards. Just find your nearest payphone, pick up the handset, and if the keypad’s not smashed in, just dial the number”.

Penn accepted the company could potentially lose hundreds of dollars in missed revenue from the payphone freebie, but said customers come first. “Of course some people will take advantage of this. Of course some people will spend the whole weekend in their local phone booth calling family, and making plans with friends calling from other payphone booths. But that’s fine. That’s what we’re about”.

Telstra customer Seb Malina said the recent outages had been frustrating, but the free payphone offer more than made up for it. “I’ve got so many mates I’m going to call this weekend. All those phone calls I wanted to make but couldn’t because I didn’t have enough credit. I might even call some people randomly, just because I can”.

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