(12) For the citizen, it is important for there to be adequate provision of public pay telephones, and for users to be able to call emergency telephone numbers and, in particular, the single European emergency call number ("112") free of charge from any telephone, including public pay telephones, without the use of any means of payment.

(a)‘public pay telephone’ means a telephone available to the general public, for the use of which the means of payment may include coins and/or credit/debit cards and/or pre-payment cards, including cards for use with dialling codes.

(a) "public pay telephone" means a telephone available to the general public, for the use of which the means of payment may include coins and/or credit/debit cards and/or pre-payment cards, including cards for use with dialling codes.

It is important that users should be able to call the single European emergency number ”112", and any other national emergency telephone numbers, free of charge, from any telephone, including public pay telephones, without the use of any means of payment.

"publicly available telephone service" means a service available to the public for originating and receiving national and international calls, and access to emergency services using the code 112 through a number or numbers in a national or international telephone numbering plan; it may include the provision of operator assistance, directory services, provision of public pay phones, provision of service under special terms and/or provision of special facilities for customers with disabilities or with special social needs;

Member States shall ensure that, in addition to any other national emergency call numbers specified by the national regulatory authorities, all users of publicly available telephone services, including users of public pay telephones, are able to call the emergency services free of charge, by using the single European emergency call number "112".