Call box

A callbox is a (usually metal) box containing a special-purpose telephone, which is used in some industries for employees or clients at a remote location to contact a central dispatch office. Callboxes were largely replaced by two-way radios after World War II.

Some taxi companies used callboxes before the introduction of radio dispatching, as a way for drivers to report to the dispatch office and receive customer requests for service. Taxi callboxes would be located at taxi stands, where taxis would queue for trips.

Some police agencies installed callboxes at street locations as a way for beat officers to report to their command centre. Before the innovation of cellular telephones and 911 numbers, some firefighting agencies installed callboxes at various street locations, so that a pedestrian or driver spotting a fire could quickly report it.