What’s New

On occasion (or when we have time), we will add or change something here at Telephone World. Here is a listing of significant changes.

Seattle Times article on the Connections Museum

January 27, 2024

As some of you probably know, I think the Connections Museum in Seattle, WA is the best place on Earth. Well, not 100% true, but it's definitely in my personal Top 10. The Seattle Times published an article in January 2024 on this wonderful place. Check it out here: https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/from-old-phones-to-volunteers-everything-clicks-at-the-connections-museum/

 

Read More

New Recordings!

December 27, 2023

Sorry that I've been absent from this site. I've been busy with other projects. But I'm back for a short while.

I've updated the AT&T General Error page with some new recordings from the "New 4ESS" (N4E) suite that AT&T has been fast bring online. Here are some recordings from these new N4E machines.

https://telephoneworld.org/telephone-sounds/modern-north-american-telephone-sounds/att-general-error-recordings/

Read More

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

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!

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!

Read More

Pink Floyd’s Young Lust – Explained and Demystified

October 10, 2021

If you're a fan of Pink Floyd's Young Lust but are scratching you head as to all the beeps and boops you hear during the telephone call portion of the song - this article explains it all.

I've been meaning to write this article for a long time now, but waited until the site makeover was complete. Now I've finally gotten around to it. (grin)

 

Read More

The Beginning of the End of AT&T Operators Started in 1992

October 4, 2021

It's hard to imagine almost 30 years ago that the first Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems were coming online to eventually replace operators. In fact, AT&T no longer has an operators. At all! They got rid of them several years ago. This video came out in October 2021, but it was recorded back in 1992. So take a look to see the beginning of the end.

Read More

New Section – Various Virginia Telephone Recordings

May 24, 2021

Thanks to a contribution from a visitor, we have a new section - Various Virginia Telephone Recordings! Check it out!

Read More

The UK Speaking Clock

April 27, 2021

A great video on the UK Speaking Clock and its history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVeMNrwRO-A

Read More

The Old Days -Talkable Busy Signals

April 6, 2021

Evan Doorbell is mentioned in an article about talkable busy signals back in the old days where impromptu conferences were found.

https://onezero.medium.com/the-prototype-for-clubhouse-is-40-years-old-and-it-was-built-by-phone-hackers-71389d117cad

Read More

Site Updates – January 2021

January 31, 2021

We've just completed our move to the new site. We're making updates and additions as we go!

Many more things will be added to the site as we go along. I've been keeping a lot of things in storage waiting to develop a new site to hold them all. That time is just about here.

Enjoy the new site!

Read More

Recreating the Party Line Conference in 2021

January 9, 2021

Is there such a thing as a time machine? Not yet, but here's a modern take on the infamous impromptu conference calls and "party lines" of the past.

A novelty recreation of the old "party line" conference calls is now up and running as of Friday January 8, 2021. For more details and some recordings of the first night's activities, check out the Novelty PSTN Party Line Conference January 2021 page. And feel free to dial it yourself at 872-838-9983.

Read More

Site Updates – November 2020

December 13, 2020

Some updates to the site as we continue our transition from our old site to this one:

The pages for Cellular Phone History have been completed. The section discusses pre-cellular (with MTS and IMTS), AMPS, 2G, 3G, 4G and now 5G.

Check out the section at the Cellular Phone History section page.

Read More

Site updates – August 2020

August 22, 2020

Progress is being made with site updates, migrating the old site to the new one, and also adding new content.

Updates include the Links of Interest page and the Stories pages.

Read More

Website (re)construction in progress

August 16, 2020

Welcome to the new Telephone World! We are making a brand new site from scratch. If you were a user at the old site, you'll see most of that site being recreated here, and new things added. LOTS of updates need to be made!  So hold tight while the old site is being migrated over, page by page! Thanks!

 

Read More