OTD

On This Day in Telephone History May 31ST 1878

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On This Day in Telephone History May 31ST 1878 The Bell Telephone Company of Boston awarded franchise rights to the Connecticut District Telephone Company. The New Haven District Telephone Company, incorporated in January of 1878, was reorganized as the Connecticut District Telephone Company on May 28TH. The New Haven District Telephone Company was the first commercial telephone exchange.

So, On This Day in Telephone History May 31ST 1878, the Bell Telephone Company of Boston awarded franchise rights to the Connecticut District Telephone Company. This happened because the New Haven District Telephone Company, which incorporated in January of 1878, was reorganized as the Connecticut District Telephone Company on May 28TH. And, the New Haven … Read more

On This Day In Telephone History May 30TH 1965

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On This Day In Telephone History May 30TH 1965 The First Electronic Switching System in the Bell System was placed into service. The very first of the No.1 Electronic Switching System (ESS) commercial installations of the Bell System was in Succasunna, New Jersey. It initially served 200 of the town's 4,300 customers after opening. It was designed to serve 65,000 phone lines, and switch 100,000 calls per hour.

On This Day In Telephone History May 30TH 1965 The First Electronic Switching System in the Bell System was placed into service. The very first of the No.1 Electronic Switching System (ESS) commercial installations of the Bell System was in Succasunna, New Jersey. It initially served 200 of the town’s 4,300 customers after opening. It … Read more

On This Day in Telephone History May 25TH 1876

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On This Day in Telephone History May 25TH 1876 Alexander Graham Bell lectured on telephony before MIT Society of Arts in Boston. “Prof. A. Graham Bell read a paper, illustrated by several experiments, on ‘telephony,’ or the telegraphing of musical sounds” – quotation from MIT’s Institute Archives and Special Collections of the Society’s handwritten minutes. … Read more

On This Day in Telephone History May 22ND 1919

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On This Day in Telephone History May 22ND 1919, Grace Banker was awarded the U.S. Army’s Distinguished Service Medal for “exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility in connection with the operations against an armed enemy of the United States.” Banker was a French-speaking telephone operator from Passaic, New Jersey. She was one of 223 operators hired by the U.S. Army to connect calls in France during World War I. Originally, these operators were only expected to connect routine calls at the biggest telephone offices, far from the fighting. However, their efficiency, speed, bravery under fire, and devotion to duty so impressed their army superiors that these women became a trusted part of the military machine. They eventually advanced to the “fighting lines,” connecting even the most important calls at the First Army Headquarters near the front. Far from being insignificant, these women went on to receive many commendations for their work.

On This Day in Telephone History May 22ND 1919, Grace Banker was awarded the U.S. Army’s Distinguished Service Medal for “exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility in connection with the operations against an armed enemy of the United States.” Banker was a French-speaking telephone operator from Passaic, New Jersey. … Read more

On This Day in Telephone History May 21ST 1878

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On This Day in Telephone History May 21ST 1878 Thomas A. Watson recommended Alexander Graham Bell acquire the rights to the Berliner Transmitter. Curious about Emile Berliner’s Transmitter Caveat of April 14, 1877, Thomas A. Watson journeyed to Washington, DC, to view the Berliner Transmitter. Upon examination, Watson recommended Alexander Graham Bell acquire the rights to the Berliner Transmitter. Emile Berliner was then hired as a technical expert to the Bell Telephone Company in Boston.

On This Day in Telephone History May 21ST 1878 Thomas A. Watson recommended Alexander Graham Bell acquire the rights to the Berliner Transmitter. Curious about Emile Berliner’s Transmitter Caveat of April 14, 1877, Thomas A. Watson journeyed to Washington, DC, to view the Berliner Transmitter. Upon examination, Watson recommended Alexander Graham Bell acquire the rights … Read more

On This Day in Telephone History September 14TH 1966

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On This Day in Telephone History September 14TH 1966 AT&T Stopped Accepting Collect Calls from Cuba. Because of a $2 million balance of payments problem, AT&T stopped accepting collect calls from Cuba to the U.S. In response, the Cubans would not permit either collect calls from the U.S. or calls paid for in Cuba to the U.S.

On This Day in Telephone History September 14TH 1966 AT&T Stopped Accepting Collect Calls from Cuba. Because of a $2 million balance of payments problem, AT&T stopped accepting collect calls from Cuba to the U.S. In response, the Cubans would not permit either collect calls from the U.S. or calls paid for in Cuba to … Read more