On This Day In Telephone History January 12TH 1968 - AT&T announced the adoption by the Bell System of "911" as a nationwide emergency telephone number. The system, which would take several years to extend throughout the country, was in response to the expressed public need for a common easy-to-remember number for police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services.

On This Day In Telephone History January 12TH 1968

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On This Day In Telephone History January 12TH 1968 – AT&T announced the adoption by the Bell System of “911” as a nationwide emergency telephone number. The system, which would take several years to extend throughout the country, was in response to the expressed public need for a common easy-to-remember number for police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services. AT&T announced the selection of 9-1-1 as their choice of the three-digit emergency number at a press conference in Washington, DC.