We thank Mr Kevin Tan for his feedback on payphones in Singapore (“Payphones a thing of the past? No, they should stay”; Feb 9).

Operators determine the availability and location of payphones based on factors such as demand for the service.

While they continue to maintain payphones at key locations, including residential areas and commercial buildings such as shopping malls, they have also gradually phased out payphones from areas with low utilisation.

In December last year, Singapore’s mobile phone penetration rate was 158 per cent of the population. Mobile network operators providing third-generation and fourth-generation mobile services have achieved nationwide coverage in accordance with the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) requirements. Where there are complaints, the IMDA will work with operators to improve coverage.

Nonetheless, as part of the IMDA’s efforts to ensure that everyone has access to telephony services, basic telephone service operators Singtel and StarHub are required to maintain at least one payphone near every Housing and Development Board block with one-room or two-room units.

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