Can I call these Times Square payphones shown on Earthcam?
This link at Earthcam shows a set of 3 payphones near the corner of 46th Street and Broadway in Times Square, Manhattan: http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/ The numbers for these payphones are: 212-730-9261 212-840-9623 212-840-9479 Q: Is it possible to call these numbers and see who answers live on Earthcam? A: Highly unlikely, but it is not beyond possibility. These phones actually do accept incoming calls, but there’s a trick to making a connection here. One of them accepts calls if someone answers on the very first ring. Another accepts calls if someone answers by the second ring. If no one answers by the first or second ring, then the phone goes to its internal modem. This internal modem, which sounds like a fax machine signal, is in place to prevent payphones from ringing interminably and inflicting wear and tear on the equipment. Unfortunately, while these phones do ring once or twice, my tests reveal that their ringing tones are virtually inaudible. You would have
