Even out in the Californian desert, the good old telephone booth is in it's way to extinction. I recently took the picture on the left at the same place from which I reported in a previous post on remote area 3G coverage. So 3G is killing the phone booth if you will. Not that I am nostalgic about it but this is one quite recent innovation that has come, had its prime and has gone again.
Interesting side note: Have a look at the logo at the top of the booth. According to Wikipedia it is the old Pacific Telephone logo, used until 1983: "In 1969, AT&T revamped its corporate identity, resulting in a simplified Bell logo, absent of "Bell System". This logo remained with Pacific Telephone until 1983". That gives an interesting indication as to when that booth was put there.
As the govt should take care of the old phone booths situated in the places where they needed more then the common places. Anybody could be caught in problem in those places so for there help the phone booths & phones should in good conditions.
I read somewhere that famous British Red Telephone Boxes have started to decline in number as well. It was said that they were modernized to offer internet connection inside the booth, became points of advertisements. Now it is possible to buy this little piece of British Heritage as furniture. Did you see them when you were in London? What services do they provide nowadays?