New York, NY —

Pay phones may be a thing of the past on city streets, now that personal cell phones are so ubiquitous but transit advocates say they still perform an important service in the subway. And the group, Straphangers Campaign, says that's why it's a shame that its latest survey found a quarter of subway pay phones don't work.

Cate Contino, with the Straphangers Campaign, wants the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to hire a contractor, to fix the phones. No comment yet from the MTA.

CONTINO: Especially for riders who typically use underground stations where there is no cell service. These pay telephones provide a really valuable lifeline to the outside world.