Filter The Network by: All Switching (22) M&A (21) Workforce (20) Cables and wires (16) Dialing (16) Manufacturing (16) Exchanges (14) Payphones (10) Operations (5) Regulation (5)
Holmes Burglar Alarm Company of Boston installs first telephone exchange
Holmes Burglar Alarm Company of Boston installs first telephone exchange
Exchanges
1877
Tivadar Puskás designs first telephone exchange
Tivadar Puskás
Exchanges
1877
Coy opens the first telephone exchange (in New Haven)
George Willard Coy
Exchanges
1878
Emma Nutt becomes first female telephone operator
Emma Nutt
Workforce
1878
Bell and New England Telephone merge to become National Bell Telephone
Bell and New England Telephone merge to become National Bell Telephone
M&A American Bell Telephone New England Telephone
1879
First telephone exchange opens in London
Exchanges
1879
Puskas sets up first telephone exchange in Paris
Tivadar Puskás
Exchanges
1879
National Bell merges with American Speaking Tel. Co. to become American Bell Telephone Co.
National Bell merges with American Speaking Tel. Co. to become American Bell Telephone Co.
M&A American Bell Telephone American Speaking Telephone Co.
1880
Telephone Exchanges open in Berlin, Vienna, and Sydney
Exchanges
1881
Operators working at a 'pyramid' switchboard
Operators working at a 'pyramid' switchboard
Exchanges
1881
National Telephone Co formed by merger of Bell and Edison interests
National Telephone Co formed by merger of Bell and Edison interests
M&A American Bell Telephone National Telephone Co. (UK) Alexander Graham Bell Thomas Edison
1881
Bell acquires Western Electric to become its manufacturing subsidiary.
Bell acquires Western Electric to become its manufacturing subsidiary.
M&A American Bell Telephone Western Electric Enos M. Barton
1881
First telephone exchanges in India, Russia, and Shanghai
Exchanges
1882
Bell Telephone Manufacturing Co. established as European subsidiary
Ezra Gilliland Gardiner Greene Hubbard
American Bell Telephone Western Electric
1882
First long-distance line: Boston to Providence
Cables and wires
1882
Operators at Boston's Tremont St central office
Operators at Boston's Tremont St central office
Exchanges
1883
Ericsson opens its first major factory at Tulegatan
Ericsson opens its first major factory at Tulegatan
L.M. Ericsson Hilda Ericsson Lars Magnus Ericsson
1884
Puskas introduces the multiplex switchboard
Tivadar Puskás
Exchanges
1887
Almon Strowger invents the automatic switch
Almon Strowger
Switching Automatic Electric
1889
Gray patents the coin-operated payphone mechanism
Gray patents the coin-operated payphone mechanism
Patents Gray Telephone Pay Station William Gray
1889
Telephone service begins between Tokyo and Yokohama
Telephone service begins between Tokyo and Yokohama
Cables and wires NTT
1890
Gray Telephone Pay Station Co. founded
Gray Telephone Pay Station Co. founded
Gray Telephone Pay Station William Gray
1891
Strowger forms Automatic Electric Company, and receives switch patent
Almon Strowger
Switching Patents Automatic Electric
1891
First 'common battery' central office (Lexington, Mass.)
First 'common battery' central office (Lexington, Mass.)
Exchanges American Bell Telephone
1893
Lines going into the back of switchboards in Los Angeles central office
Lines going into the back of switchboards in Los Angeles central office
Exchanges
1894
GPO takes over UK trunk network from National Telephone Company
GPO takes over UK trunk network from National Telephone Company
M&A General Post Office/BT National Telephone Co. (UK)
1896
AT&T long distance advertising (pocket map cover)
AT&T long distance advertising (pocket map cover)
Ad Cables and wires
1898
AT&T becomes holding company for American Bell's assets
AT&T becomes holding company for American Bell's assets
M&A American Bell Telephone AT&T / Bell System
1899
Rural Telephone Lines And How To Build Them
Rural Telephone Lines And How To Build Them
📄 Open PDF
PDF Books-booklets Cables and wires
1900
First dial telephones introduced (Strowger)
First dial telephones introduced (Strowger)
Dialing Automatic Electric
1901
Western Electric Hawthorne Works opens in Chicago
Western Electric Hawthorne Works opens in Chicago
Western Electric
1905
AT&T acquires struggling local independent telcos, funded by J.P. Morgan
AT&T acquires struggling local independent telcos, funded by J.P. Morgan
M&A AT&T / Bell System J. P. Morgan Theodore Newton Vail
1907
AT&T buys Western Union controlling interest, gaining access to its network
AT&T buys Western Union controlling interest, gaining access to its network
M&A AT&T / Bell System Western Union Theodore Newton Vail
1909
Gray Pay Stations Catalog
Gray Pay Stations Catalog
📄 Open PDF
PDF Catalogs Payphones
1912
Siemens begins laying the Rhineland cable
Siemens begins laying the Rhineland cable
Cables and wires Siemens
1912
GPO takes over entire UK telephone network
GPO takes over entire UK telephone network
M&A General Post Office/BT
1912
AT&T divests Western Union
M&A AT&T / Bell System Western Union
1913
U.S. drops antitrust suit against AT&T, cementing its quasi-monopoly
U.S. drops antitrust suit against AT&T, cementing its quasi-monopoly
Regulation AT&T / Bell System Theodore Newton Vail
1913
Switchboards Bulletin 11
Switchboards Bulletin 11
📄 Open PDF
PDF Catalogs Switchboards Switching
1915
500 Western Electric employees die in disaster on way to company picnic
500 Western Electric employees die in disaster on way to company picnic
Workforce Western Electric Helen Repa
1915
Bell system introduces rotary dialing, and first dial candlestick
Bell system introduces rotary dialing, and first dial candlestick
Dialing
1919
Theodore Gary acquires Automatic Electric
Theodore Gary
M&A Automatic Electric
1919
Julia O'Connor leads the first telephone operators' strike
Julia O'Connor
Workforce New England Telephone
1919
Dial phones spread to major cities
Dialing
1920
AT&T sells its European subsidiaries to ITT
M&A AT&T / Bell System ITT
1925
Automatic Electric acquires American Electric and Monarch Telephone
Theodore Gary
M&A American Electric Automatic Electric Monarch Telephone
1926
A Desert Span, Building Trunk Telephone Lines (AT&T)
A Desert Span, Building Trunk Telephone Lines (AT&T)
Cables and wires AT&T / Bell System
1929
The Tele Skater Girls
The Tele Skater Girls
Workforce Exchanges
1929
Telephone Buildings Of The Bell System
Telephone Buildings Of The Bell System
📄 Open PDF
PDF Books-booklets
1930
The World's Switchboard!
The World's Switchboard!
Exchanges General Post Office/BT
1932
Communications Act of 1934
Communications Act of 1934
Regulation
1934
AT&T terminates exclusivity with Gray and begins designing its own payphone technology
AT&T / Bell System Gray Telephone Pay Station
1934
Gray Telephone Pay Stations Catalog
Gray Telephone Pay Stations Catalog
📄 Open PDF
PDF Catalogs Payphones
1935
Salvador Dali makes dial compact for Elsa Schiaparelli
Salvador Dali makes dial compact for Elsa Schiaparelli
Dialing
1935
Introduction to the Dial Telephone (AT&T)
Introduction to the Dial Telephone (AT&T)
Dialing AT&T / Bell System
1936
Building and Maintaining Rural Telphone Lines
Building and Maintaining Rural Telphone Lines
📄 Open PDF
PDF Books-booklets Cables and wires
1937
The Voice of the City (Operators)
The Voice of the City (Operators)
Workforce
1938
Operator! 1938 video profiling operators.
Operator! 1938 video profiling operators.
Workforce
1938
Crossbar switching introduced
Crossbar switching introduced
Switching Bell Labs
1938
National Federation of Telephone Workers (NFTW) formed
National Federation of Telephone Workers (NFTW) formed
Workforce
1938
From The Far Corners of the Earth
From The Far Corners of the Earth
📄 Open PDF
PDF Books-booklets Educational Manufacturing
1939
The Crossbar System Bell Labs
The Crossbar System Bell Labs
📄 Open PDF
PDF Books-booklets Switching
1939
Operators on cover of Saturday Evening Post
Operators on cover of Saturday Evening Post
Workforce
1941
Western Electric halts phone production to produce wartime systems (e.g. radar)
Western Electric halts phone production to produce wartime systems (e.g. radar)
Western Electric
1941
Gray Paystations For New Revenue
Gray Paystations For New Revenue
📄 Open PDF
PDF Catalogs Payphones
1943
Newfoundland Long Lines, a WWII Film (U.S. Army / AT&T)
Newfoundland Long Lines, a WWII Film (U.S. Army / AT&T)
Cables and wires AT&T / Bell System
1943
'War still needs the wires' ad
'War still needs the wires' ad
Ad Cables and wires
1944
Working on a rush job.
Working on a rush job.
Ad Workforce
1946
Kellogg Masterdial Xray Explainer
Kellogg Masterdial Xray Explainer
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Educational Dialing
1947
England recruits telephone operators amid postwar shortage
England recruits telephone operators amid postwar shortage
Workforce
1947
1947 NFTW telephone strike
1947 NFTW telephone strike
Workforce AT&T / Bell System
1947
Communication Workers of America (CWA) formed
Communication Workers of America (CWA) formed
Workforce
1947
Planning For Telephones In Large Buildings
Planning For Telephones In Large Buildings
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Operations
1948
Crystal Clear
Crystal Clear
Business Manufacturing
1948
Automatic Electric acquires Gray Manufacturing Co.
Automatic Electric acquires Gray Manufacturing Co.
M&A Automatic Electric Gray Telephone Pay Station
1948
Telephone lineman on cover of Saturday Evening Post
Telephone lineman on cover of Saturday Evening Post
Workforce
1948
Instructional film for operators
Instructional film for operators
Dialing Operations AT&T / Bell System
1949
Cable to Cuba, Laying Undersea Cable (AT&T)
Cable to Cuba, Laying Undersea Cable (AT&T)
Cables and wires AT&T / Bell System
1950
The Step-By-Step Switch
The Step-By-Step Switch
Switching
1951
First direct-dialed transcontinental call
First direct-dialed transcontinental call
Dialing First Calls
1951
Direct long-distance dialing begins
Dialing
1951
Strowger Automatic: A Sixty Year Report
Strowger Automatic: A Sixty Year Report
📄 Open PDF
PDF Company-histories Switching Almon Strowger
1952
IT&T acquires Kellogg
IT&T acquires Kellogg
M&A ITT Kellogg Switchboard and Supply
1952
Ericsson 1953 crossbar switching brochure
Ericsson 1953 crossbar switching brochure
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Switching
1953
'Sally doesnt solder anymore' ad
'Sally doesnt solder anymore' ad
Ad Manufacturing
1953
'Making dials' ad
'Making dials' ad
Ad Manufacturing
1953
No. 3 Toll Switchboard Bul. 5410
No. 3 Toll Switchboard Bul. 5410
📄 Open PDF
PDF Catalogs Switchboards Switching
1954
The Story of Western Electric
The Story of Western Electric
📄 Open PDF
PDF Company-histories Manufacturing
1954
Refurbishing pay phones ad
Refurbishing pay phones ad
Ad Manufacturing
1954
Now You Can Dial
Now You Can Dial
Dialing
1954
Dialing the Nation (AT&T)
Dialing the Nation (AT&T)
Dialing AT&T / Bell System
1955
GTE Acquires Automatic Electric
GTE Acquires Automatic Electric
M&A Automatic Electric GTE
1955
Transatlantic telephone cable (TAT-1)
Transatlantic telephone cable (TAT-1)
Cables and wires Bell Labs
1956
A Surreal Look at Telephone Switching
A Surreal Look at Telephone Switching
Switching
1958
Queen Calls Edinburgh
Queen Calls Edinburgh
Dialing First Calls General Post Office/BT
1958
Cable to the Continent, the Second Transatlantic Telephone Cable (AT&T)
Cable to the Continent, the Second Transatlantic Telephone Cable (AT&T)
Cables and wires AT&T / Bell System
1959
T1 digital carrier system developed
Cables and wires
1960
GPO Telephone Service, Explained
GPO Telephone Service, Explained
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Educational Cables and wires
1961
Touch-Tone dialing introduced
Dialing
1963
Ericsson 1964 electronic switching brochure
Ericsson 1964 electronic switching brochure
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Switching
1964
TPC-1: First transpacific telephone cable
Cables and wires
1964
Bell Canada acquires Northern Electric
M&A Bell Canada Northern Electric/Telecom
1964
Northern Electric: Who We Are, What We Do
Northern Electric: Who We Are, What We Do
📄 Open PDF
PDF Educational Manufacturing
1965
Electronic Switching System, Central Office Debut (Bell System)
Electronic Switching System, Central Office Debut (Bell System)
Switching AT&T / Bell System
1965
No. 1 ESS switch enters commercial service
No. 1 ESS switch enters commercial service
Switching
1965
911 emergency number designated
911 emergency number designated
Dialing
1967
Under London Trunk Telephone
Under London Trunk Telephone
Switching General Post Office/BT
1968
Pollution (Western Electric)
Pollution (Western Electric)
Business Manufacturing AT&T / Bell System Western Electric
1969
First 'plugless' digital operator stations (TSPS), in Morristown, NJ
First 'plugless' digital operator stations (TSPS), in Morristown, NJ
Switching AT&T / Bell System
1969
London Telephone Exchange
London Telephone Exchange
Workforce General Post Office/BT
1970
Hoover invents computerized call switching
Erna Schneider Hoover
Switching Bell Labs
1971
Careers: Service Representative (AT&T)
Careers: Service Representative (AT&T)
Workforce AT&T / Bell System
1974
Careers: Line Worker (AT&T)
Careers: Line Worker (AT&T)
Workforce AT&T / Bell System
1974
Careers: Toll Operator (AT&T)
Careers: Toll Operator (AT&T)
Workforce AT&T / Bell System
1974
Carol Burnett: Phone Operator
Carol Burnett: Phone Operator
Tv-calls Workforce
1974
Ericsson 1976 digital switching brochure
Ericsson 1976 digital switching brochure
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Switching
1976
No. 4 ESS digital toll switch deployed
Switching
1976
Telephone Office Planning and Engineering System (Bell Labs)
Telephone Office Planning and Engineering System (Bell Labs)
Operations Bell Labs
1978
The Copper Trail (AT&T)
The Copper Trail (AT&T)
Business Manufacturing AT&T / Bell System
1978
Northern Telecom DMS-100 digital switch
Switching Northern Electric/Telecom
1978
Tour of AT&T's Network Operations Center (AT&T)
Tour of AT&T's Network Operations Center (AT&T)
Operations AT&T / Bell System
1979
How Pacific Bell Prepared for West Coast Earthquakes
How Pacific Bell Prepared for West Coast Earthquakes
Operations
1979
Payphones
Payphones
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Payphones
1980
We Make Telephones (Western Electric)
We Make Telephones (Western Electric)
Business Manufacturing AT&T / Bell System Western Electric
1980
Siemens debuts digital telephone switching
Siemens debuts digital telephone switching
Switching Siemens
1980
Get Plugged In
Get Plugged In
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Cables and wires
1982
AT&T's workforce peaks at 1,009,000
AT&T's workforce peaks at 1,009,000
Workforce
1982
AT&T antitrust settlement
AT&T antitrust settlement
Regulation AT&T / Bell System
1982
Judge Greene orders breakup of Bell System
Harold H. Greene
Regulation AT&T / Bell System
1982
1983 Telephone Strike
1983 Telephone Strike
Workforce AT&T / Bell System
1983
Britain's Public Payphones
Britain's Public Payphones
📄 Open PDF
PDF Books-booklets Payphones Educational
1984
Speedy Cutover Service, SXS to ESS (AT&T)
Speedy Cutover Service, SXS to ESS (AT&T)
Switching AT&T / Bell System
1984
Designing, Building and Testing the Trimline Phone (AT&T)
Designing, Building and Testing the Trimline Phone (AT&T)
Manufacturing AT&T / Bell System
1985
NTT privatized in Japan
NTT privatized in Japan
M&A NTT
1985
100th Anniversary of the Payphone
100th Anniversary of the Payphone
Payphones Calls
1989
Payphones For Business
Payphones For Business
📄 Open PDF
PDF Brochures Payphones
1991
SS7 signaling becomes widespread
Switching
1991
French PTT becomes France Telecom
M&A PTT/France Telecom
1991
Caller ID becomes widespread
Caller ID becomes widespread
Dialing
1992
Deutsche Telekom AG becomes independent company
M&A
1995
Northern Telecom becomes Nortel
M&A Northern Electric/Telecom
1995
Telecommunications Act of 1996
Regulation
1996