What’s New

 

Preserving a #5ESS Switch for Posterity

June 19, 2023

In June 2023, Telephone World was invited to participate in preserving a small #5ESS switch at a rural telephone company for posterity. This was no small feat as you can imagine! Check out the Preserving a #5ESS Switch for all the details and a TON of pictures!

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A volunteer collective is setting up free pay phones in Philadelphia

December 4, 2022

 

An “amateur phone collective” in Philadelphia is working to bring back pay phones to the city – just without the actual payment. PhilTel, a volunteer organization that launched in June, is planning to open its first free-to-use payphone on December 17 at Iffy Books, a hacker-focused bookshop and workshop in the Center City district.

For more information, check out the CNN article here: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/04/us/philadelphia-pay-phones-philtel-trnd/index.html

 

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Jenny I’ve got your number – 867-5309!

May 14, 2022

Most everyone knows of the song "867-5309/Jenny" from the early 80s. But did you ever wonder what would  happen if you were to dial 867-5309 in all the US and Canadian Area Codes? Check out the list that I've compiled and take a look at the various things you get when you call all of them!

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Telephone News

 

Preserving a #5ESS Switch for Posterity

June 19, 2023

In June 2023, Telephone World was invited to participate in preserving a small #5ESS switch at a rural telephone company for posterity. This was no small feat as you can imagine! Check out the Preserving a #5ESS Switch for all the details and a TON of pictures!

Read More

A volunteer collective is setting up free pay phones in Philadelphia

December 4, 2022

 

An “amateur phone collective” in Philadelphia is working to bring back pay phones to the city – just without the actual payment. PhilTel, a volunteer organization that launched in June, is planning to open its first free-to-use payphone on December 17 at Iffy Books, a hacker-focused bookshop and workshop in the Center City district.

For more information, check out the CNN article here: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/04/us/philadelphia-pay-phones-philtel-trnd/index.html

 

Read More

A Phone Trip to Head Waters, Virginia (Northern Telecom Centurion)

January 30, 2022

In December 2021, I drove out to a very small rural town in western Virginia to check out a pay phone that is still in service and is central office controlled (not a COCOT). A very rare find in the United States in this day and age!

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