On This Day in Telephone History On February 7TH 1893 Opening of Boston to Chicago long distance telephone service. During 1892, AT&T’s New York to Chicago interconnected long-distance telephone network was constructed. The distance between the two cities was the technological limit for non-amplified telephone wiring. The general public did not use their home telephones for long distance. A long distance customer made an appointment to use a special long-distance telephone. The long distance telephone was in a booth equipped with two doors. The inner door locked and the outer door was for privacy, earning the nickname “silence cabinet”. The long distance telephone customer would then pay for their call when completed. If no payment was rendered, then the customer would remain locked in the cabinet and the attendant would call for the police.

On This Day in Telephone History On February 7TH 1893

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On This Day in Telephone History On February 7TH 1893 Opening of Boston to Chicago Long Distance Telephone Service. During 1892, AT&T’s New York to Chicago interconnected long-distance telephone network was constructed. The distance between the two cities was the technological limit for non-amplified telephone wiring. The general public did not use their home telephones for long distance. A long distance customer made an appointment to use a special long-distance telephone. The long distance telephone was in a booth equipped with two doors. The inner door locked and the outer door was for privacy, earning the nickname “silence cabinet”. The long distance telephone customer would then pay for their call when completed. If no payment was rendered, then the customer would remain locked in the cabinet and the attendant would call for the police.