Dwindling usage has led to the disappearance of many of the campus’ pay phones, which were removed after being deemed unprofitable.

Illinois Consolidated Telephone Co., which provided the university with the pay phones, has slowly phased out more than 20 pay phones in residence halls and the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, Clay Hopkins, director of telecommunications, said Thursday.

The elimination of pay phones has prompted the housing department to allow students to make long distance calls with calling cards on the house phones located throughout campus, Mark Hudson, director of University Housing and Dining, said Thursday.

The removal of the phones began over winter break after it became clear that multiple phones in each dorm were unnecessary, he said.

Hopkins said if the pay phones remained in the residence halls, the phone company was going to bill the housing department $50 for each phone. However, the fee was not cost efficient for the university since the phones did not generate enough revenue.

Increased phone card and cell phone usage by students caused demand for pay phones to decrease dramatically, Hudson said.

Residence hall directors, many of whom have their offices near the pay phones said they have observed the phones getting little use.

“Maybe once a week I would see one or two people using them, if that,” Rebecca White, resident director of Lawson Hall, said Wednesday.

Bill Coderset, resident director of Thomas Hall, also said he hasn’t seen the pay phones in the Thomas lobby used very often.

“I think it varied, but most students could easily use the phone in their room for long distance or the campus phones for free local calls,” he said.

One pay phone was left in the each of the main lobbies of Carman Hall, Thomas Hall, Stevenson Hall and Taylor Hall. White said the phone company left one pay phone in the Lawson Hall basement, but removed two phones in the main lobby.

In addition, Hopkins said Illinois Consolidated removed several pay phones from the Union.

However, Hopkins said a pay phone remains near the ATM in the Union, but two phones were removed from that area in early February when the ATM machine was replaced. A total of five pay phones remain in the Union including one in the study lounge along with two on the east and west side of the second floor.

Telephone companies have been removing pay phones nationwide because the expense to keep them working and maintained is too great, Hopkins said.