This is a COCOT desktop payphone designed for placement on a store, bar, or restaurant front desk. COCOT is a short form for "Customer Owned, Coin Operated Telephone". It does not require a payphone line from the telco, and doesn't require operator interaction to determine rates. To do this the phone has an updateble rate table on board (SRAM). When a call is made, the on-board computer looks up the rate from these tables. Voice and operating data are recalled from ROM on board.



When a call is answered, you signal the phone to start charging by depressing a button. Until the button is pressed, you can hear the called party - you can't talk to them. If the button isn't depressed, the call is cut and coinage returned.

Instructions read:
1) Dial Desired Number
2) Deposit Coins Per Voice Instructions
3) Press Talk Button When Party Answers
4) Deposit More Coins To Continue When Voice Instruction Is Heard.

Rather than a digital display, this early COCOT uses a voice announcement to tell the customer how much to deposit.

Does anyone have access to an owner's manual for one of these, or better yet, a programming manual? This phone was given to me, and I would like to set the rates so that it can make calls from our area without its seeing it as a long distance call.