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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
    
 
   
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
    
 
   
We hereby consent to the use in the Prospectus constituting part of this
Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (No. 333-13767) of
our report dated March 29, 1996 relating to the financial statements of PhoneTel
Technologies, Inc., which appears in such Prospectus. We also consent to the
references to us under the headings "Experts" in such Prospectus.
    
 
   
/s/ Price Waterhouse LLP
    
   
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
    
 
   
Cleveland, Ohio
    
   
November 15, 1996