All but 2 per cent of the heavy White Pages phone books that used to be delivered around Melbourne and Sydney went straight to the recycling bin, it has been revealed.

Distribution of the phone book plummeted 98 per cent after Telstra subsidiary Sensis started testing an opt-in system in the two cities in 2011. Just 26,000 copies were requested each year in Melbourne and 20,000 in Sydney, a spokesman confirmed.

Sensis plans to keep the opt-in program and has extended it to other capital cities, including Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

"There is currently no view to roll this out to regional or Hobart markets," a spokesman said.

The Telstra directory business used to deliver about 1.5 million White Pages to both Melbourne and Sydney, which each have populations of more than 4 million. It still delivers that many copies of the White Pages business and government directory – unless a household opt out – and the Yellow Pages.

Revelations that so few copies were requested shows how low demand really was for the printed phone directory.