I think it's actually taken a *long* time to implement. Phone booths/boxes inthe UK are now practically defunkt but BT keeps trying to re-invent them as some grand 'concept space' with A/V etc. The truth is that no-one wants that - they want quick textual communication - ie email on the move.

There are good reasons why this won't be rolled out everywhere and will remain in niche 'slow' commuter spaces - that is because phone boxes are bow seen as 'poor' spaces, often damaged and associated with crime.

I presume part of the issue is that BT has a legal obligation to provide public telephony services, and that they are trying to maximise revenue from otherwise relatively fixed costs.

To back up your point about quality of experience, many phone boxes in public spaces in London are plastered with escort services. The old UK red telephone boxes were synonymous with the smell of urine.

But there is a niche in developed societies for public terminals for picking up web email and some light web browsing. Not everyone has access to alternatives. Boot up a PC and find a W-LAN access point or put a pound in a machine? In other cultures particularly China, the public terminal and internet cafes are the predominant 'internet' experience.