Long ago, after local phone numbers were decided to all consist of 7 discrete numbers, like our 788-6667, the summation of that string of numbers (totalling 48, if I added right), became the "location" on a switchboard where connection to our phone was made by an incoming call. Way back when, "Telephone Operators" were employed to plug in the incoming call line to #48, to connect us. This very slow operation gave way to the "dial system", whereby each digit was dialed individually, which created a number of electrical impulses equal to the digit: 7 dial "clicks" was totalled by a device called a Stepping Relay. Western Electric, "Maker of Bell Telephones", manufactured millions of these relays, as well as many other makers, one well-known was named "Automatic Electric Co". Why all this gibberish? Because, to emphasize the point that by the '50s, the stepping relay system was on it's way out, replaced by electronic means hundreds of times faster, and yet, when I moved to Las Vegas in 1972, dialing a local call resulted in actually hearing the number of clicks as each digit was dialed! I realized they were still using stepping relays! Worse, it often took over half a minute or more for the number dialed to ring. The phone Co. there then was Centel, Central Telephone Co. Sadly behind the times, in view of the place being served! Frank
A number of smaller telephone exchanges around the country were this way. General Electric Company in sparcely populated parts of the country were this way.
@Holly Saunders In our home, as a small child, mid-1940s, our phone number was 6667-J, and 4 households shared it. The lady across the alley from us was forever listening in to our conversations! Sometime later, the "Exchanges" were added, ours being Stanley 8, which was written in the phone directory as ST8-6667, the "J" being dropped. After that, the Area Codes came: 312-ST8-6667. Frank
We had a party line too...but with only one neighbour... she always listened in to our conversations, but we knew she was listening because the phone gave off a kind of signal that another person was on the line...lol... I can't remember how long party lines lasted... not very long I'm sure...
I remember our phone number being 4 digits and we were on a 'party line' of 2 other families. We were brought up to hang up the phone quietly if it was in use and wait until there was a dial tone before making our call. How would people live like that today? A phone on your hip is the norm for so many. The dangers of phone use while driving are becoming outrageous. What can be so important that people choose to put others on the road at risk? I have an inexpensive prepaid cell phone for emergency use. I have my phone conversations on my landline phone. I'm not against smart phones but just ask for people to use them responsibly.
@Angela Teed You express my wife's, and my own, sentiments exactly! We each have a Trac-phone that works day to day, no contracts, strictly minutes bought, carrried with us out and about, shut off when at home. Land-line still our main pipeline. Frank