>> After 10 days we decided we had enough fun and wanted to remove the phone before too many questions were asked

I guess this is a US thing? I mean who would care? And would there be any harm in waiting until they complained before they took it down?

There's this sense that the author went to enormous lengths to build this phone, but concerns over some authority come through.

I hope eventually it found a new home inside a doctors waiting room or somewhere where it can be enjoyed for a long time.