The number of pay phones in B.C. and Alberta has dropped by almost half since 1999.The number of pay phones in B.C. and Alberta has dropped by almost half since 1999. (Kirk Heuser/CBC)

Albertans dropping 50 cents into a pay phone to make a local call can thank the popularity of cellphones.

Telus raised pay phone rates from 35 cents this month.

Chris Gerritsen, a spokesman for Telus, said the company wants to continue to provide an important public service and maintain supply even as demand for pay phones goes down.

"The use of pay phones continues to fall while our costs to maintain those pay phones remains largely constant," he said.

In 1999, there were about 38,000 pay phones in British Columbia and Alberta. Now there are about 20,000.

The hike got mixed reviews among Calgary residents on Tuesday.

"Fifty cents seems to be a little bit high for me," said Frank Stone.

But Katharine Hopkins said the price works for her. "I guess it's actually kind of more convenient than 35 cents because I never have that in change," she said.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved the 50-cent charge on local pay phone calls in 2007.

With files from Kirk Heuser