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Number PULEAZE! Part Two:
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Post# 1017166   12/7/2018 at 07:34 (1,939 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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Is this the party to whom I am speaking?

 

Number Puleaze!





Post# 1017167 , Reply# 1   12/7/2018 at 07:36 (1,939 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Part Two

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All about vintage telephones up to 1989. Advertisements, humor, history, collections, equipment, restoration/repair, technical questions, resources or just plain memories, it's all here. While emphasis is placed on American telephones, vintage telephones from around the world are also most welcomed.

 

"Hello central???"

 


Post# 1017169 , Reply# 2   12/7/2018 at 07:41 (1,939 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell System 1965

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Bell System 1965


Post# 1017171 , Reply# 3   12/7/2018 at 07:46 (1,939 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Western Electric 1980

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Western Electric 1980


Post# 1017172 , Reply# 4   12/7/2018 at 07:49 (1,939 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1961

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General Telephone & Electronics 1961


Post# 1017174 , Reply# 5   12/7/2018 at 07:54 (1,939 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Ericofone 1956

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Ericofone 1956


Post# 1017216 , Reply# 6   12/7/2018 at 13:58 (1,938 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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I have an early WECo touchtone Trimline with round buttons.  It was connected in the breakfast room at our previous house.  Like a few phones I had deployed there, it's now boxed up.  There wasn't a single working land line jack here when we moved in, and I've been busy with other things so running wires for more jacks has taken a back seat.


Post# 1017235 , Reply# 7   12/7/2018 at 14:46 (1,938 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1958

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Bell Telephone System 1958


Post# 1017236 , Reply# 8   12/7/2018 at 14:53 (1,938 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1957

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General Telephone & Electronics 1957


Post# 1017363 , Reply# 9   12/8/2018 at 17:33 (1,937 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1950

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Bell Telephone System 1950


Post# 1017384 , Reply# 10   12/8/2018 at 20:07 (1,937 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Interesting that there's no mention of the 500 model.  Another indication that the 1950 500s were few and far between.


Post# 1017434 , Reply# 11   12/9/2018 at 09:21 (1,936 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )        

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This the exact color and model of wall phone that my paternal grandparents had in their kitchen.  It was still in use when my grandmother moved to assisted living in 2009.

 


Post# 1017442 , Reply# 12   12/9/2018 at 10:27 (1,936 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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Hi Tim. I believe that phone is an Automatic Electric Model 90.


Post# 1017459 , Reply# 13   12/9/2018 at 13:36 (1,936 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Automatic Electric 1917

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Automatic Electric 1917


Post# 1017465 , Reply# 14   12/9/2018 at 14:29 (1,936 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Tim, the first house that Dave and I owned was located in GTE territory.  The homes were built in the late '50s.  There were phones like your grandparents' in almost every kitchen in that neighborhood -- at least the ones that hadn't been completely gutted.


Post# 1017789 , Reply# 15   12/12/2018 at 16:15 (1,933 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Phone Ranger 1980

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Phone Ranger 1980


Post# 1017791 , Reply# 16   12/12/2018 at 16:21 (1,933 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1961

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General Telephone & Electronics 1961


Post# 1017792 , Reply# 17   12/12/2018 at 16:23 (1,933 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1956

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Bell Telephone System 1956


Post# 1017832 , Reply# 18   12/13/2018 at 02:39 (1,933 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Remember how crazy it got after divestiture with cheap phones made to look like everything imaginable?  Maybe we need a subheading for most ridiculous phones ever produced.

 

 

 



CLICK HERE TO GO TO RP2813's LINK on eBay

Post# 1017840 , Reply# 19   12/13/2018 at 07:31 (1,933 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1959

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General Telephone & Electronics 1959

 


Post# 1017841 , Reply# 20   12/13/2018 at 07:33 (1,933 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1963

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Bell Telephone System 1963


Post# 1017842 , Reply# 21   12/13/2018 at 07:39 (1,933 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Kellogg 1902

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1


Post# 1017845 , Reply# 22   12/13/2018 at 07:45 (1,933 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Kellogg Circa 1955

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Kellogg Circa 1955


Post# 1018218 , Reply# 23   12/16/2018 at 18:59 (1,929 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Western Electric 1961

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Western Electric 1961


Post# 1018219 , Reply# 24   12/16/2018 at 19:01 (1,929 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1962

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General Telephone & Electronics 1962


Post# 1019396 , Reply# 25   12/29/2018 at 14:51 (1,916 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1960

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General Telephone & Electronics 1960


Post# 1020957 , Reply# 26   1/12/2019 at 17:31 (1,902 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone 1958

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General Telephone 1958


Post# 1020959 , Reply# 27   1/12/2019 at 17:38 (1,902 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1961

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General Telephone & Electronics 1961


Post# 1020963 , Reply# 28   1/12/2019 at 18:04 (1,902 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1961

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Bell Telephone System 1961


Post# 1020965 , Reply# 29   1/12/2019 at 18:11 (1,902 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1954

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Bell Telephone System 1954


Post# 1020982 , Reply# 30   1/12/2019 at 19:49 (1,902 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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In 1954, there were very few phones in service that weren't black, a huge number that were older re-re-re-recycled models like the 302, and a significant number of even older recycled D1 (often called the "202") oval based models as well.  We had a black D1 phone (installed in 1949, twelve years after the 302 was introduced) until 1960 when we moved.  The phone installed at the next house was a black 302 with a straight handset cord.  This was some six years after the ad directly above ran, and ten years after the model 500 went into production.

 

IMO, the ad promotes a phone that wasn't available to all subscribers.  It even shows it with a coiled handset cord, which still wasn't all that common in 1954 either, particularly in a matching color.  A classic case of the right coast being the center of the corporate universe back then.


Post# 1020987 , Reply# 31   1/12/2019 at 20:35 (1,902 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

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Ralph, I think the main reason we didn’t see many colored phones or curly handset cords then was because they cost EXTRA, EVERY mo. on your bill from Ma Bell. Extensions cost extra too. So, to pay just the initial base monthly fee, that meant one black desk set or wall phone with a regular, straight handset cord.

When we moved in 1958 we had two beige desksets, one in the entry hall, near the kitchen and the other in my parents bedroom.

Some people purchased plastic covers for their phones in different colors, but the handset cords and wall cords stayed the same generic black. One of my Aunts had a Red cover she bought at Macy’s.

Eddie


Post# 1020989 , Reply# 32   1/12/2019 at 21:21 (1,902 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

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Also, look at how much Long Distance calls cost in 1954. People were very brief with their LD calls then, and also, didn’t make LD calls at the drop of a hat. If you were living on a tight budget, you had to be careful with your phone usage. Now, most everyone has free LD within the country with their basic phone service, if they even have a Landline anymore..
Eddie


Post# 1020992 , Reply# 33   1/12/2019 at 22:00 (1,902 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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For sure, Eddie.  The extra cost just wasn't worth it for the average subscriber.  But, I'd bet money that if you wanted a color-coordinated 500 set from Pacific Telephone in 1954, there would be a waiting period because they didn't have them on hand.  Even black 500s were in short supply until the early '60s around here.  Unless you really insisted, you got a 302, or maybe a 5302, which was just a 302 disguised as a 500 and retrofitted with a wonky ringer adjusting lever. 

 

In the early-mid '50s Ma Bell even gave specific orders to provisioning and installation personnel to issue a 302 unless the customer insisted on a more modern set.  The 302s were beyond plentiful, while WECo's production of 500s couldn't keep up with demand.  There is a two word explanation for this:  ringer adjustment.

 

We only used Long Distance on special occasions.  I remember many family celebrations around our dining room table when the phone would ring.  I'd answer it and hear a very loud, hollow, low pitched sort of hissing/roar, and the excitement ensued.  I knew it was my Uncle Frank calling from suburban Chicago.  The phone would get dragged to the table and passed around for everyone to have a chance to talk.


Post# 1020993 , Reply# 34   1/12/2019 at 22:19 (1,902 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)        

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My Great Aunt was a supervisor for Ma Bell on the evening shift always on Sunday night and would do the Earnestine to connect my mother, grandmother and 3 other aunts for free and they had their own conference call on black desk models with way too short cords.

Post# 1021012 , Reply# 35   1/13/2019 at 09:50 (1,901 days old) by GusHerb (Chicago/NWI)        
hear a very loud, hollow, low pitched sort of hissing/roar

Sounds like the sound of a long distance call setup over microwave relay to me! I’ve listened to many Evan Doorbell recordings and the sounds of the telephone system in those days was nothing short of fascinating, and you could figure out what was what too just by the sound you heard.

Post# 1021105 , Reply# 36   1/14/2019 at 01:11 (1,901 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 1929

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American Telephone & Telegraph 1929


Post# 1021122 , Reply# 37   1/14/2019 at 08:03 (1,901 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)        

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For a couple years post high-school I worked as a market research interviewer. We called on surveys ranging from soup to nuts...one long survey we had was calling into the farm country (if I remember, it was for ivermectin livestock wormer...). It was very interesting hearing the CO to CO handoffs and the re-generation of dial pulses as the call traversed the network. Only after working in telecom for my career do I understand the whys and wherefores....this also coincided with a Bell System strike, so we would call and tie up a directory assistance operator (manager filling in) for an hour getting all the numbers we might possibly want while the subs were in place.


Post# 1021148 , Reply# 38   1/14/2019 at 12:07 (1,900 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Eddie, the ad with the "servant" plugging in the portable phone speaks to your remarks above about the cost of having an extension.  Even the "portable" telephone option would incur an expense for installing jacks where desired.  The image in that 1929 ad likely depicted a pre-crash household.


Post# 1021150 , Reply# 39   1/14/2019 at 12:19 (1,900 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

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I noticed this too Ralph. Also, the ad suggests that the telephone extensions could be used like an intercom throught out the home. This is a first for me. I guess their must have been some kind of internal bell system to alert occupants the someone in the home had a message to relay?

The ad also suggests that customers have more than one telephone line in the home. Only the well heeled could have entertained this as an option.

Back when I got my first phone most of the economically challenged just had a 25 ft. cord installed so they could carry the phone from room to room and avoid the extra monthly charge for an extension.

I agree with you Ralph, this ad was surely a pre Crash ad, but a great window into the times.

Eddie


Post# 1021160 , Reply# 40   1/14/2019 at 13:57 (1,900 days old) by kd12 (Arkansas)        
Ringer Box

I notice the 1929 ad said nothing about the ringer. Didn't all phones of that era require a separate ringer box for each phone? And how much would those cost to install in each room you wanted?

Post# 1021177 , Reply# 41   1/14/2019 at 15:57 (1,900 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)        

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I'm pretty surprised by the high heels on the servant's shoes--would not have expected that.


Post# 1021199 , Reply# 42   1/14/2019 at 18:50 (1,900 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)        

The 1929 Bell System ad is obviously one targeted to a more affluent audience. It most likely appeared in magazines purchased mainly by upper-class ladies.

I would think the subset including ringer would have been mounted to the wall where the maid is plugging in the cord. In a fancy installation, it may well have been recessed into the wall with a grill over it.

As for the intercom feature, there would have been equipment somewhere in the building to provide power, amplification, and signalling for that service. I was in an old house when I was a kid that had such a system at one time. It had long been disconnected by then. An old wall phone was still mounted in a back hallway, and I remember there being some type of switch next to it to select between outside and inside lines. I also remember a lot of old phone wires, and some boxes and connections fastened to a wooden panel in the basement.

My Aunt Doris had intercom on her phones, but that was part of the 1a2 system they had installed in the 70's, which also had two outside lines.

We only had one line, but also an extension in the basement. When we moved into the house in Aug. 1957, my parents had most of the interior of the house repainted. The living room, dining room and hall were painted light gray, so when the phone was installed, my mom chose one in gray - an AE model 80. That was AE's version of the WE 500. The old phone - an AE model 40 in black - was moved to the basement. I always though it was much better looking than the 80. It eventually was replaced with a wall phone, and the phone guy took it away. I found out later on that he had a wonderful collection of older AE phones, which I imagine our old one was among.
As for other color phones, the public library a couple blocks away had an AE 80 in light green.


Post# 1021210 , Reply# 43   1/14/2019 at 20:24 (1,900 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)        

This post has been removed by the member who posted it.



Post# 1021215 , Reply# 44   1/14/2019 at 21:47 (1,900 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)        

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We were next door as a kid to my aunt and uncle and had a party line. We dialed 6123, hung up, theirs rang and when ours stopped ringing, they were on the line. Another Ma Bell trick my mother knew.

Post# 1021223 , Reply# 45   1/14/2019 at 23:30 (1,900 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

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When I was a teenager and we first moved to the Northern California Coast we had a 5 party line, yes FIVE. Our ring was 1 long and 1 short and our number was Russian Gulch #3.

To place a call you lifted the receiver and the operator would come on the line and you requested the number you wished to call. If it was someone else on the party line you could of course hear their ring in your house too. And you knew they answered just like any other call, when they came on the line.

When I turned 13 my Mom was in Brooklyn, visiting my stepfathers sister. It took her over an hour to convince an operator there that you really could call such a number as Russian Gulch #3, they all thought Mom was either drunk, crazy or both, until she finally got a supervisor that believed her. They had to get the Santa Rosa, Calif.operator on the line to ring down our number, and this was 1964.

Eddie


Post# 1021226 , Reply# 46   1/15/2019 at 00:21 (1,900 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Eddie, a per a friend of mine in Napa, people living there still had to dial an operator for Long Distance up until around 1980.

 

 


Post# 1021227 , Reply# 47   1/15/2019 at 00:36 (1,900 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        

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Ralph, in 1971 the area where my Mom lived went to dial phones, the last area in Sonoma Co. to finally get dial service, but any direct dialed LD still went thru CAMA for billing. This was so for all areas of Sonoma Co., except Santa Rosa, until about 1980. At that time CAMA was retired and all direct dialed LD went thru without any operator assistance.

For those that don’t know what CAMA was, it is an acronym for Centralized Automated Message Accounting. It was a board in the main traffic office that the direct dialed LD calls reached, where an operator came on the line and announced, “Your number please”. The caller gave their number, which was keyed in by the CAMA operator and then the call when thru the switching system to be connected. The number was of course keyed in so the caller could be billed for the call. While I was an operator I spent many hours on CAMA, a virtually mindless job.

Eddie


Post# 1021232 , Reply# 48   1/15/2019 at 06:27 (1,900 days old) by kimball455 (Cape May, NJ)        

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Here's a link about the Centralized Automated Message Accounting

Harry


CLICK HERE TO GO TO kimball455's LINK


Post# 1021247 , Reply# 49   1/15/2019 at 10:25 (1,899 days old) by Frigidaireguy (Wiston-Salem, NC)        

My Grandparents didn't get "Dial Service" until 1967.  The phone was a plain black phone with no dial at all.  When you picked up the receiver a central operator would ask you for "Number Please" If you wanted to make a long distance call you would say "Long Distance" and she would transfer you to another operator that took care of the long distance calls.

Their number was 328.  

 

Bob


Post# 1021261 , Reply# 50   1/15/2019 at 13:50 (1,899 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Well, if I didn't feel old already, the most recent replies here would have certainly done the trick.

 

I'm not anti-progress, but the the abandonment of analog systems -- and not just by Ma Bell --  has sure taken all of the fun out of things.


Post# 1021262 , Reply# 51   1/15/2019 at 14:25 (1,899 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        
Ralph,

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these posts help us all to remember that there once was a time that a telephone call was somewhat special, not something that was screened for potential scams. Fifty years ago it was pretty much unheard of for anyone to be using the telephone to defraud the public on a mass scale.

Now, I almost never answer the phone when it rings, and only if I recognize the number and/or the caller. In my youth it would have been unheard of to not answer the phone when it rang. My how times have changed!

Eddie


Post# 1021265 , Reply# 52   1/15/2019 at 14:58 (1,899 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

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" Now, I almost never answer the phone when it rings, and only if I recognize the number and/or the caller. In my youth it would have been unheard of to not answer the phone when it rang. My how times have changed! "

Boy you said it Eddie.

I was just this morning talking to a friend about how you would Love when the phone rang and the anticipated tone of the "Hello" as to "Who is this calling" would be so nice.

Now you get aggravated every time the phone rings especially when you don't recognize the number.

I remember also there was a time when you got home and you had a list of calls to make so you had the Long Cord on the wall phone so you could start supper with the phone wedged under your chin. Quite the balancing act and coordination to pull off dinner with two hands while talking.

Fun Times back then.


Post# 1021267 , Reply# 53   1/15/2019 at 15:13 (1,899 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

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Watch This !!!








Post# 1021270 , Reply# 54   1/15/2019 at 15:45 (1,899 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        
Now That’s Pathetic!

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these kids are old enough to be able to reason out that each hole on the dial corresponds to the numbers that need to be dialed. Common sense would dictate that you would need to pull the dial to the stop for each number dialed. Wow, they can probably figure out the most complex issues with a computer,but a simple, old fashioned dial telephone stumps them! Almost makes me wonder if they know which end is up?

Eddie


Post# 1021272 , Reply# 55   1/15/2019 at 15:50 (1,899 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Wow Eddie -- those kids likely haven't ever watched an old movie or TV show, or didn't care about scenes that captured someone dialing an outbound call.

 

I've yet to connect any of my old rotary phones at our new house, but that day is coming.


Post# 1021274 , Reply# 56   1/15/2019 at 15:56 (1,899 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        
Telephone Instruments As Intercoms

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I just went back and looked at the extension phone ad.  How exactly would an intercom system work when the telephone set(s) had no dial, such as the one pictured in the ad?  Some sort of Morse-inspired use of the switch/receiver hook?


Post# 1021275 , Reply# 57   1/15/2019 at 15:58 (1,899 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        
Maybe these two boys

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need to check out this vintage You Tube video of a film that the Bell System produced as a tutorial so customers could learn how to use the new fangled dial telephones in 1927.






Eddie


Post# 1021281 , Reply# 58   1/15/2019 at 17:22 (1,899 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

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As I get older and see stuff like these two boys that can't dial a phone I get very afraid.

(And feel Old) ; )

Why would they watch an old movie ? No Sex, Violence and Blood. Better to play Call of Duty or what ever the hell they play these days.

A story line ? Boy meets Girl ? A Love story ? Nah.


Post# 1021284 , Reply# 59   1/15/2019 at 17:46 (1,899 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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Indeed. It is frightening the level of ignorance some of our youth have. I remember a skit on the Tonight Show years back where they asked college students very simple questions on current events, history, geography, etc.. Their answers were invariably incorrect, some shockingly so. Oh sure, the audience was laughing, but me? I was screaming inside. This is our nations future. God help us.


Post# 1021285 , Reply# 60   1/15/2019 at 17:48 (1,899 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)        

Ralph, as I mentioned in the above post, there was a switch to select intercom, but I also remember some buttons on this same box. It seems like there was a printed label next to them - probably the location of the extensions. I suppose to call a certain station in the house, you set the switch to intercom, then pushed that button to ring or buzz that phone. I'm guessing it worked like the manual intercom used on 1a2 systems. I didn't see any other old phones in this house, as the working ones were all standard modern sets. I wish I could remember more, but it's been over 50 years since I was in that house. The house was built sometime between 1900-1915, but the old phone system was likely from the late 20's - mid 30's.

The phone in the hall looked a lot like the one in the link.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO CircleW's LINK




This post was last edited 01/15/2019 at 18:22
Post# 1021286 , Reply# 61   1/15/2019 at 17:48 (1,899 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 1915

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American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 1915


Post# 1021292 , Reply# 62   1/15/2019 at 19:09 (1,899 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Thanks for that thorough description, Tom. 

 

That phone is commonly called an "apartment phone," meaning it was located in a common area for everyone to use.  Again, the old movie comes to mind with someone being summoned to a hallway phone and standing at it to converse.  

 

I'm too spoiled by the handset and can't be bothered with the discipline required to use a separate receiver and transmitter, but I'd consider an apartment phone.

 

Regarding the ad directly above, if only the current crowd of telecom providers --  the sham that is today's AT&T included -- were as committed to providing service as was The Bell System.

 

 


Post# 1021300 , Reply# 63   1/15/2019 at 20:11 (1,899 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        
Reply 61

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Doesn't that AT+T Logo look so Professional like a company that means service and quality ?

Not like today. When you are paying for air and there are no Poles or Equipment to maintain.



Post# 1021301 , Reply# 64   1/15/2019 at 20:27 (1,899 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)        

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I had AT&T landline phone service at one time from Ma Bell to Consolidated Communications now that have the poles, wires and stations. AT&T owns Directv now but there is NO AT&T cell service in these areas for them they keep bugging me to switch to. I dont want a discount on something I cant use. So I complain to them and get more discounts off my Directv, which the programming went from bad to even worse.

Post# 1021415 , Reply# 65   1/16/2019 at 14:17 (1,898 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)        
Friend Ralph...

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That's so true, while it tends to make things easier and often better, technology does seem to zap the fun right out of lots of things. The more fun the better in my book.


Post# 1021470 , Reply# 66   1/16/2019 at 23:18 (1,898 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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Post# 1021659 , Reply# 67   1/19/2019 at 02:52 (1,896 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO)        

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A friend of mine told me this was on Youtube. Thanks for posting it Eddy and thanks for the thread Louie. Yeah, one would think at some point along their silly existence they would have seen an old movie or run across one somewhere. It seems as if it's time for schools to start teaching mid - to late 20th Century history. Their parents aren't teaching them the things they should already know before they get to school. The boy in the plaid shirt is being prompted by someone off screen to pick up the phone and put it to his ear and asks him what he hears. "Uhhhhh" the boy says. Too funny.

Eddy's right, these people scare me too. I still find it somewhat disturbing/annoying as people walk around talking to themselves.

Here's some things I find interesting. It all requires reading and there's no emogys or how ever one spells those annoying things.

I was driving with my nephew the other day (12 years old) and I saw a large bird perched on a telephone pole. I said look at that bird on the telephone pole and he said whats a telephone pole. I said never mind.

www.theatlantic.com/techn...


CLICK HERE TO GO TO beekeyknee's LINK


Post# 1021661 , Reply# 68   1/19/2019 at 03:06 (1,896 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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My pleasure Brian.


Post# 1021662 , Reply# 69   1/19/2019 at 03:20 (1,896 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Pacific Telephone 1955

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Pacific Telephone 1955

 


Post# 1021695 , Reply# 70   1/19/2019 at 12:21 (1,895 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Brian, thanks for posting the link to that excellent article! 

 

The WECo model 500 is widely considered to be the 20th century's most significant work of industrial design, and the writer provides a thorough explanation as to why that is so.

 

I don't think anything makes me feel old as much as the loss of the landline experience and the pleasure that used to be associated with conversing over a clear connection with no lag time, using a nearly indestructible instrument -- made in the USA -- that was so perfectly designed for that purpose.


Post# 1021761 , Reply# 71   1/19/2019 at 23:25 (1,895 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Edison Televoice Writer 1952

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Edison Televoice Writer 1952


Post# 1021973 , Reply# 72   1/21/2019 at 19:19 (1,893 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)        
COM KEY (1A2 version)

My favorite Western Electric equipment!

When I worked a long term temp job at University Hospital back in the mid 80's, they installed a Western Electric COM KEY 1434 phone system. This was an enhanced 1A2 system, and had tone ringing for both outside and intercom calls, rather than gong type ringers. The attendant console with the DSS box was located in the office occupied by Ms. Orine W. and Ms. Clara D. Most of the phones in other areas of our deptartment were 20 button sets, but the file room (where I worked) had a 6 button (2564) set for everybody, except for Dave (our manager), who had one with 20 (2833).

Most of the lines were part of the Centrex system, but we also had two direct outside lines, which we were to use for any personal calls.

Link to brochure for smaller 718 version.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO CircleW's LINK


Post# 1022459 , Reply# 73   1/25/2019 at 18:17 (1,889 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1960

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Bell Telephone System 1960


Post# 1022858 , Reply# 74   1/29/2019 at 02:33 (1,886 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1932

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Bell Telephone System 1932


Post# 1022998 , Reply# 75   1/30/2019 at 05:20 (1,885 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Telephone jack and plugs from the 1930's

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Telephone Jacks (1930's)

Telephone Plugs (1930's)


Post# 1023000 , Reply# 76   1/30/2019 at 05:25 (1,885 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell System 1965

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Bell System 1965


Post# 1023001 , Reply# 77   1/30/2019 at 05:27 (1,885 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Wards Catalog 1975

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Most of these were made in Korea if I remember correctly.

Wards Catalog 1975


Post# 1023606 , Reply# 78   2/4/2019 at 22:32 (1,879 days old) by Michaelman2 (Lauderdale by the Sea, FL)        
608 PBX Cord Switchboard

This was the last cord PBX manufactured. I worked on a 12 position hospital PBX using this type of board. I hated when the electronic boards replaced the cord board. The hospital had the 608 in use until 1985. It was replaced with a system called "Dimension". It could not do nearly the things the cord board could do and the reliability was terrible, especially during bad weather. I don't ever remember the 608 going completely down or inoperative.

Photos:
1) Close up of the 608 Board. You may notice there are no ringing keys (toggles). This board had automatic ringing on the front cords.

2) The White House switchboard, also a 608 and removed several years ago for an electronic system.

3) Dimension console. This system was touted as the "end all" in communications. Of course this was in the early 1980s...how far we have come.

I still miss the very personalized telephone service. I was reading an article the other day and it basically said fewer and fewer telephone communications take place, these days. Texting and other forms of non-verbal communications are quickly gaining as the most preferred way to communicate....ugh.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Michaelman2's LINK


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Post# 1023609 , Reply# 79   2/5/2019 at 00:01 (1,879 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1958

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Bell Telephone System 1958


Post# 1024920 , Reply# 80   2/17/2019 at 13:53 (1,866 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Sears Catalog 1916

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Sears Catalog 1916

Sears Catalog 1916


Post# 1024921 , Reply# 81   2/17/2019 at 13:56 (1,866 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
General Telephone & Electronics 1960

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General Telephone &amp; Electronics 1960


Post# 1025672 , Reply# 82   2/26/2019 at 01:21 (1,858 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone System 1965

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Bell Telephone System 1965


Post# 1026098 , Reply# 83   3/2/2019 at 20:35 (1,853 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Hands free, 1927

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1927


Post# 1026101 , Reply# 84   3/2/2019 at 21:00 (1,853 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Edison 1913

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Edison 1913


Post# 1027262 , Reply# 85   3/17/2019 at 04:45 (1,839 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Telefónica de España (Spain) 1971

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Telefonica 1971


Post# 1028338 , Reply# 86   3/29/2019 at 19:48 (1,826 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
POS Verizon...

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Those SOB's at Verizon just disconnected my sisters copper line phone service. Verizon said either she switches to fiber optic or she'll no longer have service. This is outrageous! My blood is just boiling.


Post# 1028339 , Reply# 87   3/29/2019 at 19:57 (1,826 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)        

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Will the NY PUC help at all on this Louis? Verizon, AT&T and all the big ones need to be brought back down to size. MA Bell was broken up, why cant these big conglomerates be forced to be broke up and not buy and merge for more profit and higher consumer prices.

Post# 1028493 , Reply# 88   3/31/2019 at 02:32 (1,825 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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Sadly no Tim. I even Googled for ANY information that would be useful to fight this travesty. Nothing beyond 2017. It seems we are doomed.


Post# 1028494 , Reply# 89   3/31/2019 at 02:42 (1,825 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Kellogg 1947

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Kellogg 1947


Post# 1028545 , Reply# 90   3/31/2019 at 13:34 (1,824 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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I'm wondering how AT&T will provide my land line service after I cancel my high speed internet and TV service, which they provide over fiber.  Currently my land line is provisioned over fiber and requires the AC powered fiber gateway to operate, so it's not a true land line at all, though dial tone still comes from the main switching office downtown.

 

I've had it with AT&T's frustrating and annoying TV service, so will be switching to a different provider in a couple of months when my contract is up.  I'll be pushing for a copper pair for my land line.  I want all of their fiber equipment gone!

 

So true about deregulation.  AT&T is nothing but a sloppy sales-focused entity that can't be trusted anymore.  Verizon seems to be even worse.  There are cities all over this nation that regret allowing GM, Firestone and Standard Oil to rip out their trolley systems.  The same will be happening with regard to copper land lines, mark my words.


Post# 1028548 , Reply# 91   3/31/2019 at 14:11 (1,824 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)        
Ralph,

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good luck getting AT&T to put your landline service back on a POTS copper wire connection. Back about 5 years ago when they tried to get me to convert over to the UVerse, and I resisted, they told me that eventually, in a very short period of time, everyone on AT&T landlines would be forced to convert to UVerse, as they were going to do away with copper wire POTS, as it was obsolete, according to them.

Thats when I switched to Comcast, and I’ve never regretted this decision. We have everything on the internet with them now, TV, WiFi and VOIP. One bill, that works out to less than it was before with the TV on Comcast and the phone and DSL on AT&T.

We have dependable VOIP, with a battery backup, that provides phone service during a power outage, provided the cable is still up, and the WiFi is lightening fast, and NEVER goes down, unlike the snail like AT&T DSL the was so slow it was like watching paint dry and it was always going down, requiring constant rebooting of the modem and frequent installation of new line filters.

As far as I’m concerned, AT&T can pound sand.

Eddie


Post# 1028562 , Reply# 92   3/31/2019 at 17:57 (1,824 days old) by cuffs054 (MONTICELLO, GA)        

Yep, ATT did it to all of Monticello a few years ago. Switch or do without. I'm running an Ooma for my land line.


Post# 1028568 , Reply# 93   3/31/2019 at 19:22 (1,824 days old) by GusHerb (Chicago/NWI)        

If it’s coming out of the Residential Gateway (RG), which is the crappy router they give you, then it’s VoIP and not based out of the local CO. If it’s coming out of the ONT (little white box mounted inside the house or mounted in the NID outside) then it’s fiber based POTS.

In either circumstance I think the phone service will stay, although I seem to recall their system not letting you order Uverse voice without internet so it’s possible they may just cancel it or require it be converted over to POTS.


Post# 1028577 , Reply# 94   3/31/2019 at 20:10 (1,824 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)        

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Mine is fiber-based POTS.  I can use rotary phones with it.  Other non-fiber AT&T U-verse subscribers in my area with VOIP can't use rotary equipment.

 

If I switch to another provider that only offers VOIP, I'll have to invest in a Rotatone device.  If AT&T won't provision POTS over copper, there's no point in staying with them.  I share Eddie's sentiments.


Post# 1028672 , Reply# 95   4/1/2019 at 15:29 (1,823 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Southwestern Bell 1979

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Southwestern Bell 1979


Post# 1029170 , Reply# 96   4/7/2019 at 02:41 (1,818 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 1930

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American Telephone &amp; Telegraph Co. 1930


Post# 1030504 , Reply# 97   4/21/2019 at 22:27 (1,803 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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Post# 1031670 , Reply# 98   5/3/2019 at 08:01 (1,792 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 1932

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American Telephone &amp; Telegraph Company 1932


Post# 1034091 , Reply# 99   5/31/2019 at 23:51 (1,763 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        
Bell Telephone 1975

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Bell Telephone 1975


Post# 1034094 , Reply# 100   5/31/2019 at 23:58 (1,763 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)        

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Number PULEAZE! Part Three:

www.automaticwasher.org/c...



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