Telephone booth

A telephone booth is a community lot object that Sims can use to call a taxicab.

The Sims 2
All community lots include a telephone (in the occupying place of the mailbox on residential lots by default) with an outdoor garbage bin next to it. Additional ones can be bought from buy mode under "Electronics".

The object serves as an essential device to return home or visit another lot. A player can command a Sim to "Call a Taxi" or "Walk to Lot"; which interaction is available depends on the method the Sim/household arrived to the community lot after leaving home. Sims that arrive by car must leave that lot using their car, and cannot call for a taxi or walk off the lot. Playable witches and warlocks can choose to fly to a community lot by broom, while non-playables will do so autonomously; said Sims will always arrive by the telephone booth.

With Bon Voyage, Sims that witness the Unsavory Charlatan robbing another Sim (or are robbed by him themselves) can use the phone to "Report Foul Play" to notify police about the Charlatan. This will keep the Charlatan at bay for a few days, but he will return eventually.